Milk, bread… and a bottle of wine?
That's what Loblaw Companies is proposing for its Real Canadian Superstore at 1301 Lougheed Hwy. in southern Coquitlam (by Canadian Tire).
Tonight, Oct. 23, city council is expected to give first reading to rezone the property to allow wine sales in the mega store.
If OK'd, the application would advance to a public hearing on Nov. 20 at Coquitlam City Hall (3000 Guildford Way); the meeting starts at 7 p.m.
According to the report from Chris McBeath, Coquitlam's director of development services, Loblaws plans to move its Special Wine Store Licence to Coquitlam from the Superstore at 4651 No. 3 Rd. in Richmond.
The provincially regulated licence permits the sale of wine, as well as cider and sake, in a specified grocery outlet; however, because new licences currently can't be issued, companies that have a Special Wine Store Licence must relocate them.
Only a dozen of licences exist in B.C., with one now at the Save On Foods site at 3025 Lougheed Hwy. in the Sunwood Square shopping mall.
If the Loblaws proposal is approved following the public hearing, the Superstore wine section would be in a dedicated 930 sq. ft. space inside the store.
The closest liquor store would be about 525 ft. away at the Berezan Liquor Store at 140 Schoolhouse St. while Woody’s Liquor Store at 935 Brunette Ave. is about a kilometre away.
Under Coquitlam’s zoning bylaw, liquor stores have to be at least 300 m apart, as well as 300 m from schools or parks, but the separation requirements don’t apply to wine-on-shelves in grocery stores.
If the municipal rezoning goes through, Loblaws would be required to submit a security plan to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.
