N.B. parties support language commissioner’s ruling on bilingual ANBL agency stores

New Brunswick liquor stores will need to provide service in French and English.

New Brunswick’s political parties are supporting a ruling from the province’s commissioner of official languages, which says Alcool NB Liquor (ANBL) must offer bilingual service at agency stores operated by third parties.

The commissioner’s ruling stems from a complaint made in February 2025 at an ANBL agency store in Saint-Antoine, where service was only offered and available in one language: English.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages investigated the complaint and found ANBL agency stores must comply with the province’s Official Languages Act because it delivers services on behalf of a Crown corporation.

ANBL lists more than 90 agency store locations across the province.

Premier Susan Holt said the commissioner was “doing her job” delivering the ruling.

“We have requirements that people get served in the language of their choice in New Brunswick, from the institutions of government,” said Holt. “The language commissioner has raised that with NB Liquor, and I believe they are working on a response to the issues she’s raised.”

Holt said questions about how agency stores will meet bilingual requirements going forward should be directed to ANBL.

In a statement last week, the Crown liquor corporation said it took its linguistic obligations seriously and was reviewing the commissioner’s report but had no further comment.

Both interim Progressive Conservative Leader Glen Savoie and Green Party Leader David Coon said they weren’t surprised by the commissioner’s ruling.

“It’s been clearly said by myself and many others that language rights must be respected,” said Savoie, “The question always becomes the how. What impact is this going to have on businesses in rural regions, in both languages, not just one?”

Coon said training for bilingual staff training should be prioritized for agency store owners who have “the additional sort of profits coming from carrying liquor in their stores.”

The Convenience Industry Council of Canada said it wasn’t commenting publicly on the commissioner’s ruling.

With files from Josh Smith’s CTV News Atlantic

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