Saskatchewan’s legal drinking age will remain at 19.
Liquor and Gaming Minister Donna Harpauer made the announcement today.
She says most people in the province were against lowering the age to 18.
Harpauer says a lot of the opposition came from Prince Albert and other communities in the north.
“PA has been very up front and center that they have issues with substance abuse, some of our northern communities have issues with substance abuse,” she says.
Last November, delegates at a Sask Party convention voted to lower the drinking age to 18.
The vote was led by the youth wing of the party and was passed by a narrow margin.
In spite of this, Harpauer says there is no dissention in the party.
Saskatchewan will continue to have the highest drinking age on the prairies.
The decision not to lower the age is supported by the Saskatchewan association of police chiefs, mothers against drinking and driving as well as students against drunk driving.
The Prince Albert Police service is also applauding the province’s decision to leave the drinking age where it is.
Spokesman Sergeant Kelly McLean says both Prince Albert and the province face a lot of problems stemming from alcohol and it’s probably best to leave things as they are.
“My understanding is almost every police agency in the province sent some sort of correspondence to the provincial government and expressed an opinion,” he says. “I certainly can’t speak for Chief Cooper but I know the discussion at this level was that it is probably better to leave the drinking age where it is instead of lowering it.”
He adds the decision can always be re-visited down the road.