Tariff resources, SPARK 2025 highlights, minimum wage increasing, and more ----------------------------------------------- |
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Liquor Industry Update: February 20, 2025 |
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| Dear ABLE BC members and industry colleagues,
Here's the latest news for the private liquor industry: What you'll find in every newsletter: |
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Join Us at SPARK 2025!
The wait is almost over! SPARK 2025 is just around the corner, taking place on March 5th at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre. This premier liquor & cannabis event will bring together industry leaders, experts, and professionals to light up discussions on: - Liquor & cannabis policy and regulations with the LCRB and LDB
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Using sales data to increase profitability in hospitality
- Emotional intelligence for profound leadership
- The changing nature of HR & the workplace
- Canna tourism innovations
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And more!
With just less than two weeks to go, now is the time to secure your seat at SPARK 2025! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow your liquor or cannabis business. Event Details: |
Member Price: $549
Log in to the Member Portal to secure your member rate.
Non-Member Price: $649 Discounted Group Rates Available
Save up to 25% when you register two or more people. Contact jesse@ablebc.ca to claim your group rate. |
Thank You to Our Sponsors |
Did you know ABLE BC is celebrating 50 years of advocacy for the private liquor and cannabis industries this year? Click below to learn more and help us celebrate! |
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People Working Well
The CMHA BC and go2HR have created a resource for tourism and hospitality employers and employees dealing with mental health challenges at work. |
| Cannabis Industry Update Newsletter
Sign up for our Cannabis Industry Update Newsletter to learn more about our advocacy for cannabis retailers. Click here to read past cannabis newsletters. |
| ABLE BC Member Portal The Member Portal is your hub for all resources and benefits available to ABLE BC members. Contact jesse@ablebc.ca if you need help logging in. |
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BC Government Confirms 2025 Minimum Wage Increase
BC’s minimum wage will increase from $17.40 to $17.85 per hour, a 2.6% change, on June 1, 2025. This follows the changes made in Spring 2024 to the Employment Standards Act, which mandated annual wage increases.
It is a challenging time to increase costs for businesses. However, tying minimum wage to inflation is a win for industry that ABLE BC pushed for in recent years. Regular, predictable, and small increases make budgeting and planning for your business easier.
We recognize the financial pressure our members are under and will continue to work with government on relief measures and other solutions that will help your business thrive.
If you have questions about minimum wage, please contact Jeff Guignard, ABLE BC’s Executive Director, at jeff@ablebc.ca. |
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Share Your Thoughts on Proposed Changes to Vancouver's Liquor Serving Hours
ABLE BC is working with industry partner associations and the City of Vancouver to change liquor serving hours for bars, pubs, clubs, and restaurants in Vancouver.
Currently, the City’s regulation on the latest closing times allowed for bars, pubs and nightclubs range from 1 am to 3 am depending on location and day of the week. Restaurants that are licensed to serve alcohol can do so until 1 am on weeknights and until 2 am on weekends.
Proposed changes would allow: - All bars, pubs and nightclubs in Downtown to apply to stay open until 3 am every night of the week. These hours are currently permitted in some areas Downtown.
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All restaurants in Vancouver that are licensed to serve alcohol to apply to serve until 2 am every night of the week.
If proposed changes are approved, businesses wanting to extend their hours would be required to follow the standard process of applying for approval from the Province and the City.
The City of Vancouver is gathering feedback from Vancouver business owners and residents until March 9. |
Fast Track Your Future: Financial Literacy & Logistics |
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The BC Hotel Association (BCHA) is bringing back one of its most popular Fast Track Your Future sessions: Financial Literacy & Logistics with David Lund, The Hotel Financial Coach.
Running from March 5 to April 9, this series will include six sessions and provide insights on: - Budgeting & Forecasting – Plan and allocate resources effectively
- Cash Flow Management – Ensure financial stability
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Cost Control & Profitability – Maximize revenue, minimize expenses
- Supply Chain & Logistics – Optimize purchasing and vendor relations
- Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this session will help you sharpen your financial and operational skills.
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ICYMI: US Tariffs & Canadian Retaliatory Measures Webinar Recording
Earlier this week, Restaurants Canada hosted a webinar on US tariffs and Canada’s retaliatory measures. Watch the recording now to learn about the latest trade updates, impacts on food costs, and the steps operators must take to protect their businesses. |
Free Made in Canada Social Sharing Kit
BC Food & Beverage has created a free Made in Canada social sharing kit to help your business highlight locally made products and services. |
Ask an Expert: Understanding the Unionization Process
Ryan Anderson, Partner at Mathews Dinsdale and trusted advisor to the ABLE BC team for labour and employment law questions, prepared a series of article on unionization for ABLE BC members last year. Today, we're rewinding back to the start of the series. If you want to read the rest of Ryan's unionization articles, login to the Member Portal now.
How Does a Union Achieve the Right to Represent Employees?
Certification is the process by which the BC Labour Relations Board certifies that a group of employees has become unionized and will be represented by the applicant union. There are two paths to union certification.
The first, and longer, path requires a union to persuade at least 45%, but less than 55%, of a group of employees to sign union cards. If at least 45% but less than 55% of employees sign a union card, the Board conducts a secret ballot vote. At the vote, all eligible employees (whether they signed a union card or not) will have an opportunity to vote for or against the union. If a majority vote in favour of the union, the union will be certified and all employees will become unionized. If not, the application will be dismissed.
The second path is a shortcut. If a union persuades 55% or more of employees to sign union cards, the certification application is automatically granted by the Board, without any subsequent vote. Not surprisingly, most unions won’t apply for certification until they have met the 55% threshold – secret ballot votes have become rare. How to Respond to an Application for Certification Fast – that’s how! If you see a notice of application from the Board, you must respond immediately, but don’t do so without good advice. You are required to provide information about your workforce within 24 hours. A Board hearing will be set within five days of the date of application.
You will need to make important strategic decisions in that very short time frame, and you may have an opportunity to challenge the application. All this needs to be assessed before you respond to the application, and how you respond could have a critical impact on the outcome of the application.
There will be no time to waste, but you should never respond without expert labour relations advice. That’s where the team at Mathews Dinsdale comes in. Reach out to Ryan Anderson at 604-638-2042 or randerson@mathewsdinsdale.com if you have any questions about unionization.
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Interested in becoming an ABLE Expert? Contact jesse@ablebc.ca to learn more. |
Cannabis Corner: Recapping Growing Relationships
Last week, Jeff and Bo attended StratCann's Growing Relationships event at Mission Springs Brewery. Thank you StratCann for putting on a great event with networking and informative discussions. Several ABLE BC members were there to meet with producers and participate on panels and roundtable discussions.
We were especially excited to see one of BC's first legal cannabis-friendly patios in action! ABLE BC pushed for LCRB Bulletin 24-01, which allows licensees to promote cannabis consumption spaces and permits cannabis consumption in areas where smoking or vaping tobacco is allowed.
It's great to see our cannabis members, like Laura Rowse of Cheeky's Cannabis Merchants, collaborate with Liquor Primary licensees to create cannabis friendly environments! StratCann had this to say about the event:
"This is the first time in our four years of delivering these events that we have a legitimate space for consumption. Cheeky’s made fantastic updates to the patio, creating a welcoming atmosphere and demonstrating incredible support. With Mission Springs Brewery and Cheeky’s Cannabis, we found a great setting for a B2B cannabis industry event that truly supports the professional community. Having that option at an event venue offers a level of dignity around consumption, ensures we don't lose people because they have to leave the venue to consume, and aligns with how alcohol is treated at an age-gated event. We know that the community and event services like ours would like to see more venues with cannabis consumption spaces, bringing it in line with how the alcohol industry is managed - to level the playing field. We would like to see more municipal and provincial grants and services that support hospitality services and also support venues in providing cannabis-friendly consumption spaces for events of all sizes."
Contact events@stratcann.com to learn more about StratCann's events or info@cheekyscannabis.ca to inquire about cannabis event bookings at Mission Springs Brewery.
Questions on cannabis consumption spaces? Reach out to Bo Chen, ABLE BC's Head of Cannabis Memberships at bo@ablebc.ca. |
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Laura Rowse (Cheeky's) and Jeff (ABLE BC) at Growing Relationships |
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Mathieu Aubin (Rubicon Organics), Deepak Anand, and Jeff at Growing Relationships |
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go2HR on Tap: Serving Success: Mastering Reviews, Performance Management, and Goal Setting
go2HR is a regular contributor to the ABLE BC Liquor Industry Update newsletter, providing tips and guidance on current HR trends, new legislation, employee recruitment and retention, and more. To read the latest instalment, sign in to the member portal or sign up for the newsletter.
Employee reviews, performance management, and goal setting are crucial elements of managing a successful team in any industry, but they are especially vital in the fast-paced and competitive world of food and beverage businesses. Small businesses in this sector face unique challenges when it comes to managing their workforce, from ensuring high-quality customer service to maintaining food safety standards. In this article, we will explore best practices for conducting effective employee reviews, implementing performance management strategies, and setting achievable goals.
Employee Reviews
Employee reviews are an essential tool for providing feedback, setting expectations, and recognizing achievements within your team. Here are some tips for conducting effective employee reviews: - Schedule Regular Reviews
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Prepare in Advance
- Provide Constructive Feedback
- Log in to the Member Portal to read more details on employee reviews
Performance Management Performance management involves setting clear expectations, monitoring progress, and providing support to help employees reach their full potential. Here are some strategies for effective performance management:
- Set SMART Goals
- Provide Ongoing Feedback
- Offer Training and Development Opportunities
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Log in to the Member Portal to read more details on performance management
Employee Goal Setting
Setting clear and achievable goals is essential for motivating employees, improving performance, and driving business success. Here are some tips for setting effective goals for your team: - Collaborate with Employees
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Align Goals with Business Objectives
- Monitor Progress and Adjust as Needed
- Log in to the Member Portal to read more details on employee goal setting
In conclusion, conducting effective employee reviews, implementing performance management strategies, and setting achievable goals are essential elements of managing a successful team for your business. By following these best practices and fostering a culture of feedback, support, and collaboration, employers can empower their employees to reach their full potential and drive business growth.
go2HR, the HR and health and safety association for the BC Tourism and Hospitality Industry, has a wealth of resources to support you. We invite you to connect with us to learn more about how you can support your employees with health and safety at safety@go2HR.ca.
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Out and About with ABLE BC We are in full SPARK 2025 swing at ABLE BC! If you haven't registered yet, we encourage you to act quick! The conference is less than two weeks away and the program is stacked with innovative, informative, and inspiring speakers and sessions. |
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In case you missed it, ABLE BC appeared in the following media recently: |
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Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinars Check out these upcoming events: - Vancouver International Wine Festival, February 22-March 2
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Bourgogne Wines Industry Tasting, Vancouver, March 3
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SPARK: BC Liquor & Cannabis Conference, Vancouver, March 5
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BC Tourism Industry Conference, Vancouver, March 5-7
- WORTH Leadership Summit, Vancouver, March 11
- Victoria Cocktail Week, April 13-20
- BCHA Summit, Vancouver, April 22-23
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