One year after announcing it would move its headquarters to downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries has scrapped that $75-million plan. "Manitobans expect us to make prudent financial decisions that are in the public's best interest, and that is what we plan to do." "We could not support spending a minimum of $75 million of public funds for a project that would see Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries operating as a commercial property developer, well outside of its core mandate." Crown Services Minister Ron Schuler disagreed, saying the government already has "a significant presence" in downtown through the Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba Public Insurance headquarters. In this case, the liquor and lotteries board "decided their core business isn't being a construction company [and] it's not being a landlord.

Source: CBC News September 19, 2016 16:17 UTC