Evaluating the Impact of Minimum Pricing in Saskatchewan on Crime and Health Outcomes

Funding body: CISUR Endowment Fund

Background: This set of studies continues a recent research tradition of evaluating public health and safety impacts of minimum pricing policies in Canada, the topic of a recently completed CIHR funded project. There is strong interest in minimum pricing internationally, and Canada is one of the few countries in the world that sets “floor prices” on alcohol products. Saskatchewan has been identified as an example of best practice in that it has progressively introduced comprehensive minimum prices for all types of alcoholic beverage, updated them at intervals to maintain relatively high minima and, since 2010, have adjusted rates according to the alcohol strength of beverages within each major category. We have sourced national crime data from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta, including outcomes likely to be alcohol-related such as violence, disorderly conduct and traffic violations. We have also secured data for Saskatchewan on presentations to emergency departments by time of day.