Corporate Governance

"As a Board, it is our mandate to provide prudent strategic and fiscal direction and guidance in a changing retail and regulatory landscape. Together with NLC’s management team, we will ensure effective strategic direction and choices, and budgeting and financial management, as well as robust oversight of enterprise risks throughout the Corporation."

Fraser Edison, Board Chair

NLC’s Board of Directors provides oversight and strategic direction to NLC’s executive management team, which in turn is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the Corporation. Together, the Board and the Executive make a united effort to provide best practice, socially responsible regulations, and retailing and wholesaling of beverage alcohol and cannabis to the Province, governed by a strong sense of corporate responsibility, transparency and accountability to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In accordance with the Liquor Corporation Act, NLC is governed by a Board of Directors of up to nine persons. The independent directors are chosen and appointed for specific terms by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, following recommendation by the Independent Appointments Commission, an independent body established by Government to provide merit-based recommendations for appointments to approximately 160 Agencies, Boards and Commissions. NLC’s President and Chief Executive Officer and the Deputy Minister of the Department of Finance are also members of the Board, serving in a non-voting capacity.

The Board of Directors operates within a highly regulated environment. The Liquor Corporation Act, Liquor Control Act and Regulations, the Cannabis Control Act and Regulations and other similar legislation provide direction to the Board in guiding NLC’s business affairs. The Corporation’s by-laws, vision, mission statement and values further direct both the Board and management in decision-making. The Board’s strategy, periodic three-year business plans, and annual operating plans and budgets are subject to the approval of Government. The Corporation’s annual financial statements are subject to audit by the Province’s Office of the Auditor General, which also has the authority to examine specific areas of NLC’s operations and activities through special audits.

The Board must provide prudent fiscal direction and guidance to the management team, ensuring effective budgeting and financial management, as well as management of enterprise risks. These processes fulfill the Board’s commitment to provide overall governance.

COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

The Board’s standing committees engage and support its efforts in a number of governance responsibilities.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee is mandated to provide the Board advice and services in the areas of financial management and reporting, internal control, the internal and external audit process, assessing financial performance against plan, and providing oversight of NLC’s enterprise risk management processes.

Governance and Human Resources Committee

The Governance and Human Resources Committee is mandated to assist the Board in overseeing the Corporation’s approach to corporate governance to promote transparency and accountability, the strategic planning process and framework to provide a proactive approach to strategy formulation and execution, and human resource management, including a philosophy that creates a culture that aligns with NLC’s vision and strategic direction.

Regulatory Committee

The Regulatory Committee assists the Board in overseeing the Corporation’s legislated regulatory mandate with respect to beverage alcohol and cannabis, including providing direction and guidance on regulatory strategy, objectives and initiatives; ensuring that Regulatory Services operates with the appropriate level of independence and minimizes the possibility of any actual or perceived conflict of interest; and overseeing a process to periodically review, and where appropriate, make recommendations to Government with respect to changes to legislation and regulations that further advance the Corporation’s mandate.