By Sarah Klein
An independent report shows the merger of the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission and the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation has saved the province upwards of $36 million.
The MNP report includes an estimated $26 million in pension-adjustment forecast savings, resulting in greater pension stability and a one-time gain in the settlement of the pension liability of approximately $26.5 million to be returned to the province in 2014-15.
“Staff at Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries continue to work together to find and implement new efficiencies and increase savings as a result of the initiative to merge the two Crown corporations,” said Winston Hodgins, president and CEO of MLL. “We feel there are more benefits to come.”
The province decided on the merger as part of their 2012 budget as a cost-saving and efficiency measure.
The MNP report also found Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries has achieved $9.6 million in merger-related savings, $3.8 million of which will be annually recurrent savings.
