There is no doubt about it, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority does very well in the Energy City.
With recent provincial numbers divulged showing the SLGA's record sales last year, it's clear Estevan has punched above its weight when it comes to alcohol purchases.
The Estevan location generated $7.8 million in gross sales in the 2011-2012 fiscal year. That's a healthy increase from $7.3 million the year before and from $6.6 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year. It's about an 18.1 per cent increase in gross sales in two years.
In that same period, the SLGA location in Weyburn increased from $4.7 million to $5.4 million or about a 14.8 per cent increase. The Swift Current location increased just 6.4 per cent from $9.3 million to $9.9 million in gross sales, though that city hasn't seen the same population growth witnessed in the southeast.
The North Battleford location took in $11.2 million in gross sales in the 2011-2012 fiscal year, which results in just over $700 in sales per adult.
None of the numbers provided by the SLGA include bar or off-sale figures, but show only the sales at the SLGA locations in these cities.
Other factors may account for large differences in city's numbers, like how many tourists visit a city each year, and whether or not there are people living in the city who are unaccounted for in federal census numbers.
Provincial alcohol sales hit just above $571 million last year.
The average Estevan adult of legal drinking age spent a little more than $790 at the local SLGA last year, while in Weyburn the annual average last year was about $664. In Swift Current, the average last year was about $724.
Estevan has a younger population, with a median age of 36, compared to 41 in Weyburn and 42 in Swift Current, which could have an impact on liquor sales as well.
"In general, if you look at any of our stores, sales have gone up year over year in all of our stores across the province. We see that in our overall number," said David Morris, of the SLGA.
"That's really a result of the economy. We have more and more people moving into the province, as you know in Estevan. There are more jobs. There are more people. There are certainly increased sales in our stores and any other business."
