The Société des alcools du Québec paid nearly $300,000 to influencers since 2023, according to access-to-information records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“When you hold a monopoly on the sale of spirits, you don’t need to pay influencers to remind Quebecers that you exist,” said Nicolas Gagnon, Quebec director of the CTF. “Spending nearly $300,000 on this kind of marketing is completely absurd when you hold a monopoly.”

The SAQ paid $298,000 to 65 influencers between 2023 and July 2026.

The SAQ’s spending on influencers rose from $25,000 in 2023 to $124,000 in 2025. That’s an increase of 396 per cent in two years.

The SAQ says it runs “a few hundred campaigns of varying scope each year.” However, the corporation refuses to disclose the financial results of these campaigns.

“The SAQ can’t spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on influencers and then hide the results of its campaigns,” Gagnon said. “Quebecers deserve to know whether this money accomplished anything.

“Every dollar wasted by the SAQ is a dollar that belongs to Quebecers.”

These new collaborations emerged in a context where the SAQ is openly seeking to reach Generation Z.

The Crown corporation featured comedian Sam Cyr in a campaign titled “Sam Cyr in three cocktails” in 2024, focused on his favourite drinks and go-to products: Vodka cranberry, strawberry daiquiri and pop. Sam is notably known for his podcast “Everybody hates themselves” and his last appearance in the queer comedy show “Gags and Sequins.”

The SAQ also partnered with Uma Gahd, described as “a colourful and conceptual queer icon,” in 2025, when she shared her mimosa recipe for a “successful drag brunch.”

The sharp rise in influencer marketing spending has not been accompanied by improved core business results for the SAQ.

Volumes sold fell from roughly 223 million litres in 2023-24 to 209.8 million litres in 2025-26, a decrease of about 5.9 per cent.

The SAQ’s revenues also declined by $39 million during that period.

Among the reasons for this decline, the SAQ cites declining consumption among Generation Z over the past two years.

“The SAQ is spending more and more on influencers while selling less and less alcohol,” Gagnon said. “Before signing another big cheque to a marketing firm, it should start by explaining why Quebecers should believe this strategy is working.”

Despite the situation, the SAQ is sticking with its influencer marketing approach. The Crown corporation recently signed a $6.3 million contract with a marketing firm to manage its social media accounts as well as its “influencer partners” for a three-year term.