The bidding is fierce in the Saskatchewan liquor permit auctions.

Another six permits were sold on Friday—with five fetching bids in excess of $1-million.

The Saskatoon liquor permit went for $1.5 million, which was only $23,700 less than one for Regina. Other communities breaking the $1-million barrier on Friday were Swift Current, Meadow Lake and Biggar.  Nipawin—at just over $800,000—was the only one not to crack the $1-million mark on Friday.

Two previous lots of liquor permits were sold on Wednesday and Thursday. Total sales to date are in excess of $18-million.

The liquor permit auctions were required after the SaskParty government announced last October that it was closing 34 provincial liquors stores by the end of March.

Those with winning bids still need to go through the SLGA’s (Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority) permitting process and meet specific criteria. The stores will also have to open within 18 months.