Spirits are low among some Quebec boutique liquor makers who say they're facing bankruptcy this summer unless the provincial government reduces the sales tax that makes it unprofitable to sell bottles outside of the SAQ. The Union québécoise des microdistilleries (UQMD) reports nearly two out of three independent spirit producers are done bottling up their frustrations after barely keeping their businesses afloat due to a hefty SAQ tax. The association represents over 55 small-batch distillers that all pay around 50% of the sale price on each bottle to the crown corporation, whether or not it has a hand in the distribution, marketing, or sale of the product.
The Montreal SAT (Société des Arts Technologiques) got special permission from the city to serve alcohol for a full 29-hour period between May 21 and 23. The occasion is a more than day-long musical event that, according to a press release, "will showcase local and international nightlife artists in an uninterrupted manner."