Media contacts and press releases

Linda Bouchard
Media Relations Officer
Telephone : 514 254-6000, ext. 5385
li.bouchard@saq.qc.ca

Yann Langlais-Plante
Media Relations Officer
Telephone : 514 254-6000, ext. 5795
yann.langlais-plante@saq.qc.ca

Useful links:

Publications
Available documents
Press releases - archives

SAQ statement: Demonstrations underway near our Montreal and Quebec City warehouses

February 25, 2022

The SAQ informs its customers and business partners that demonstrations are currently being held near our Montreal and Quebec City warehouses. The demonstrators are not SAQ employees but rather unionized, CSN-affiliated paramedics who have decided to target our distribution centres.

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The SAQ presents $931,590 to the Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ) network

February 24, 2022

Montreal, February 24, 2022 – Combining customers’ generous donations in recent months and a donation of its own, the SAQ is proud to give more than $930,000 to the FBQ to help it fight against food insecurity and support persons affected by these difficult times.

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SAQ distribution centre employees approve the agreement in principle

December 18, 2021

The SAQ is pleased to announce that the agreement in principle reached on Tuesday, December 14, with the union representing the employees of its distribution centres was approved by a margin of 86.3% at union meetings held yesterday afternoon in Quebec City and this morning in Montreal.  

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Agreement in principle has been reached between the SAQ and STTSAQ union

December 14, 2021

Following the resumption of negotiations on Monday, December 13, we are pleased to announce that the SAQ and the STTSAQ union reached an agreement in principle this evening. The details of this agreement will be presented by the union to the employees of the distribution centres this Friday in Quebec City and this Saturday in Montreal.

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The SAQ announces net income of $337.7 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2021-2022

December 10, 2021

For the first quarter of its 2021-2022 fiscal year, which ended on September 11, 2021, the SAQ reported net income of $337.7 million, up $26.7 million or 8.6% from the second quarter of the company’s preceding fiscal year. Dollar sales rose 7.8% to $928.1 million, while litre sales reached 55.8 million litres, a 3.7% increase.

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Agreement in principle rejected by the employees of the Montreal and Quebec City distribution centres

December 6, 2021

The SAQ has just been informed that the employees of its Montreal and Quebec City distribution centres (STTSAQ) have rejected the agreement in principle reached on Monday, November 29 by 86%.

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With the holiday season approaching, the SAQ launches a new Food Banks of Quebec campaign, from December 2 to 8, 2021

December 2, 2021

Montreal, December 2, 2021 – This December, more than 600,000 persons in need will turn to food banks for assistance. Between December 2 and 8, the SAQ will encourage customers to make a cash donation at checkout in support of the Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ) network across the province.

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Sous le bouchon, the SAQ’s first podcast 

November 11, 2021

The SAQ is launching its first-ever podcast today. Called Sous le bouchon, the podcast takes a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the beverage alcohol trade in Quebec. Through conversations with enthusiastic experts, it explores subjects related to the activities of one of the SAQ, one of the world’s top buyers of wine and spirits and a government corporation that has been serving Quebecers for a century.

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The SAQ prepares to adjust prices in response to inflationary pressures and climate challenges

November 2, 2021

Next Sunday, November 7, the SAQ will implement a price increase averaging 1.66% on 1,332 products always found on SAQ shelves. The increase is attributable to the inflationary environment that is currently affecting the prices of many consumer goods.

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Two new bridges incorporating recovered glass from the equivalent of 70,000 wine bottles: research and innovation recognized globally

October 19, 2021

The Ville de Montréal, Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) and Chaire SAQ de valorisation du verre dans les matériaux at the Université de Sherbrooke are pleased to announce that the project to build two Montréal bridges incorporating recovered glass has been chosen from among candidates worldwide to receive the prestigious 2021 Excellence in Concrete Construction Award in the Infrastructure category from the American Concrete Institute.

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The SAQ presents more than $700,000 to the Food Banks of Quebec network

October 15, 2021

Between October 7 and 13 this year, the SAQ donated the equivalent of one meal for each Quebec product it sold. The company also encouraged customers to make a donation at checkout. The SAQ is pleased to announce that the initiative raised a total of $747,123 for the Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ) network.

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For each Quebec product sold between October 7 and 13,
the SAQ will donate a meal to Food Banks of Quebec

October 7, 2021

The pandemic has made a number of Quebecers food insecure, a difficult reality that has led to a 30% increase in requests made to Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ). To support the FBQ, the SAQ is encouraging customers to show their solidarity by buying a local product between October 7 and 13, 2021. For each Quebec product sold, a meal will be donated to the FBQ.

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The SAQ announces net income of $284 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2021-2022

August 30, 2021

For the first quarter of its 2021-2022 fiscal year, which ended on June 19, 2021, the SAQ reported net income of $284 million, up $40.5 million or 16.6% from the first quarter of the company’s preceding fiscal year. Dollar sales rose 8.3% to $832.2 million, while litre sales reached 52.2 million litres, a 3.6% increase. During the first quarter of fiscal 2020-2021, the introduction of various public health measures had an adverse impact on sales, partly explaining the increase in the quarter just ended.

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Modernization of Quebec’s deposit-return system:
The SAQ is fully involved in the transition now under

August 17, 2021

The SAQ Dépôt in Terrebonne is one of seven pilot projects announced today

As announced on August 17, 2021 by the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Benoît Charrette, the transition to a modernized deposit-return system has begun with the launch of seven pilot projects. The projects will test various types of recovery equipment.

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As announced in May, the SAQ is adjusting some product prices to reflect higher freight charges

July 12, 2021

As stated in its May 18th news release, the SAQ will carry out an adjustment on the retail prices of 2,306 continuous replenishment and batch order products sold to consumers. The new prices will take effect on Sunday, July 18, 2021.

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The SAQ announces net income of $1.219 billion for fiscal 2020-2021

June 9, 2021

The SAQ ended its 2020-2021 fiscal year on March 27, 2021, with net income of $1.219 billion, down $6.4 million or 0.5% from the preceding fiscal year. Dollar sales rose 2.9% to $3.590 billion, while litre sales reached 222.3 million litres, a 2.2% increase.

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The SAQ limits price adjustments for its products

May 18, 2021

While consumer prices are rising sharply in some industries and the SAQ’s expenses are increasing as pressure from producers to hike prices is growing, the SAQ is negotiating doggedly to limit any price increases.

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5-year investment in the SAQ Chair for the Valorization of Glass in Materials

April 14, 2021

The SAQ Chair for the Valorization of Glass in Materials, held by Arezki Tagnit-Hamou, Professor in the Faculty of Engineering of the Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS), can continue to count on the enthusiasm and contribution of its partners in work on the use of glass powder as an additive for concrete. UdeS and its main partner for the past 16 years, the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), have announced new funding of five years for the Chair in partnership with Hydro-Québec, the Ville de Montréal, the Ville de Sherbrooke, Éco Entreprises Québec, Prodexim International, Techo-Bloc, and the UdeS Foundation. The Chair will therefore be able to draw from funding of approximately $2.4 million from 2020 to 2024.

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SAQ raises more than $863,000 for the Food Banks of Quebec network

April 8, 2021

The SAQ’s first fundraising campaign of the year for the Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ) network was held from April 1 to 7 in its outlets and online via SAQ.com, with customers urged to purchase made-in-Quebec products and make a donation at checkout.

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Quebec products in the spotlight to benefit Food Banks of Quebec

March 30, 2021

For the 12th edition of its campaign in support of Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ), the SAQ is encouraging customers to show their solidarity during this difficult time due to the health crisis by buying local products. From April 1 to 7, 2021, the SAQ will donate one meal to the FBQ for each Quebec product it sells.

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Net income rises to $458.6 million in third quarter of fiscal 2020-2021

March 31, 2021

The SAQ today announced the results for the third quarter of its 2020-2021 fiscal year, which ended January 2, 2021. Compared with the third quarter of the preceding fiscal year, sales rose 3.9% to end the quarter at $1.267 billion. For their part, volume sales totalled 74.9 million litres, a 3.3% increase.

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The SAQ expands its Montreal distribution centre 

February 10, 2021

The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) today announced that it will invest $48.5 million to expand its Montreal distribution centre. Construction of the 200,000 square foot expansion and installation of automated single order picking equipment will boost operational efficiency.

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For the list of previous press releases, consult the Press releases - archives page.