Colville Lake to hold public vote on alcohol restrictions

Colville Lake will hold a vote regarding whether to restrict alcohol in the community.

“The Bedzhi Ahda First Nation Council passed a resolution asking the minister of finance to hold a plebiscite to determine whether community members support a liquor restriction,” the NWT government stated in a Thursday press release.

Minister Caroline Wawzonek has appointed a returning officer to conduct the plebiscite.

The vote will be open to the public and determine whether or not the community supports restriction on the amount of alcohol that can be brought into and possessed in the community, according to the press release.

Advanced polling will be held on July 11, and ordinary polling will be held on July 18.

Colville Lake does not currently have restrictions on alcohol beyond those in the NWT Liquor Act and its regulations. The community does not have a liquor store or other licensed establishment that sells alcohol.