NB Liquor halts fund-raising bag fee

NB Liquor is cancelling a program that charged customers a fee for plastic bags and used those funds to raise money for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Daniel Allain, the president and chief executive officer of the Crown corporation, announced the changes in a statement on Tuesday.

"Many retailers across Canada have discontinued the practice of charging for shopping bags and NB Liquor will eliminate the charge as a customer service enhancement," Allain said in a statement.

The program started in June 2009and raised money for the Nature Conservancy of Canada and MADD.

The liquor agency sent the groups the proceeds from charging five cents for their bags.

The changes were included in a broader statement by NB Liquor on several changes being made at the Crown corporation.

The announcement comes after NB Liquor presented areport to the provincial governmenton various reforms it was considering.

NB Liquor has alreadyintroduced a summer beer promotionthat has a $5 discount on domestic beer.

The statement says additional promotions will be announced during the summer and fall on brands such as Alpine, Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, Molson Canadian, Moose Light, Old Milwaukee and Sleeman Original Draft.

Allain also announced a request for proposals has been issued for a seasonal agency store for the Town of Shediac.

In the corporations February report, it indicated it would look at starting special stores in areas that have high levels of tourist traffic.

In the statement, Allain noted Shediac is one of the provinces most popular tourist areas.

NB Liquor plans to have the seasonal store open in July.