Analysis of beverage alcohol sales in Canada : Analyse des ventes de boissons alcoolisées au Canada

It is most relevant for analysts and decision makers, both inside and outside government, with interest in the topic of alcohol pricing policy: • The first report presents a summary of data on the levels and patterns of alcohol use in Canada, focusing on trends in risky drinking from 2003 to 2010. [...] The governmental and economic context of beverage alcohol sales in Canada is complex because of a number of factors, not the least of which is the central role provincial and territorial governments play in both supplying alcohol and responding to risky use. [...] Provincial and territorial governments should regularly assess the social costs of alcohol and include this information in their efforts to manage the sale of beverage alcohol in Canada. [...] In addition, since the economic recession of 2008–09, the prices of beer, wine and spirits sold from liquor stores have declined relative to the prices of goods in a basket of standardized consumer goods (Figures 1 and 2). [...] To create a reporting structure more conducive to balanced decision making on alcohol price policies, the provinces and territories should regularly assess the social costs of alcohol and consider having their liquor authorities report to departments of public safety as Alberta did in 2006.22 The economic context relevant to the management and sale of alcohol includes the fact that, because of the