Baker Lake to become unrestricted community

News Release

Baker Lake to become unrestricted community

IQALUIT, Nunavut (January 25, 2018) – In a plebiscite held January 22, Baker Lake residents voted in favour of ending the current system of liquor restriction. A majority of voters, 60.1 per cent, were in favor of moving towards an unrestricted or "open" system for alcohol.

Under the Liquor Act, if at least 60 per cent of voters are in favour of changing the status of their community from restricted to unrestricted, the Minister must take steps to declare the community unregulated and subject only to the general liquor laws of Nunavut.

"The residents of Baker Lake have spoken," said Minister of Finance David Akeeagok. "In order to accommodate this plebiscite result, the Government of Nunavut will move forward with making the necessary regulatory changes in the near future."

Until those changes are made, the Baker Lake Alcohol Education Committee is still responsible for the approval of liquor sales in the community.

###

Media Contact:

Denise Grandmaison
Manager, Communications
Department of Finance
867-975-6818
@email