SAQ agency stores

When the SAQ determines that a municipality meets the eligibility criteria AND that having an Agency store there is feasible, it publishes an advertisement in a local newspaper and invites interested businesses to reply to a call for tenders.

To obtain an SAQ Agency store permit, a business must :

• be located in the area covered by the call for tenders ;
• hold a liquor permit issued by the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ) ;
• provide a financial statement ; and
• satisfy the SAQ’s business criteria. In particular, it must meet one of the following two criteria :
  
  • The business centre of the municipality or area affected by the proposed SAQ Agency store must be located at a minimum distance of approximately 15 km from the nearest SAQ store ; or
  • the business centre of the municipality or area affected by the proposed SAQ Agency store must be located at least 5 km from the nearest SAQ store, and :
    
    • be in a municipality or area whose permanent population is approximately than 6,000 residents over the age of 18 ;
    • have the product sales potential set by the SAQ, once the cannibalization of sales from the existing SAQ store and Agency store network has been taken into account ; and
    • provide a representative sampling of SAQ products (100 to 140 linear feet of shelf space).

Businesses that sign an Agency store agreement must also :

• undertake to order all products through the supply SAQ store and take delivery of the ordered products there ;
• assume the cost of transporting the products to their store ;
• display sales prices that are the same as those displayed in SAQ stores.

Agency store agreements are valid for a term of five years. The SAQ reserves the right to extend the authorization for one or more additional periods not exceeding a combined total of five years.

For more information, please contact the Location and Real Estate Transactions Department by sending an email message to :

AGENCESSAQDEMINFO@saq.qc.ca