Province Signs More On-Reserve Liquor Tax Deals

Province Signs More On-Reserve Liquor Tax Deals

Tuesday, March 09, 2010 at 13:20

After a successful trial with the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, the provincial government has signed on-reserve liquor tax agreements with more First Nations.

The agreement lets proceeds from liquor fees stay on-reserve to help fund local priorities and replace provincial taxes which used to be collected for alcohol purchases.

The fees remain the same at 10 per cent.

The pilot project began two years ago on the Whitecap Dakota reserve, the host of the Dakota Dunes Casino, where about $15,000 in taxes is collected each month.

The latest to join are the Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man First Nation, the Kahkewistahaw First Nation, the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and the White Bear First Nation — all of which host on-reserve SIGA casinos.

The government says it is willing to sit down with other interested First Nations.