Liquor Industry Update: June 1, 2023
Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues,
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s update:
Reminder: Minimum Wage Increases to $16.75 on June 1, 2023
ABLE BC’s Benchmark Survey Results
ABLE BC Liquor Industry Meetings in the Okanagan & Kootenays
CEBA Loan Reimbursement Deadline
Extension to Direct Delivery from Off-Site Storage
Psychological Health and Safety Resources
The Summer 2023 Issue of The Quarterly Pour is Out Now!
BCHF Vancouver Golf Tournament, July 17, 2023
BCHF Victoria Golf Tournament, August 23, 2023
Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinar
Out and About with ABLE BC!
Find all past updates here.
Reminder: Minimum Wage Increases to $16.75 on June 1, 2023
British Columbia’s minimum wage increases today from $15.65 to $16.75 per hour, a 6.9 per cent or $1.08 increase reflecting the average annual inflation rate in 2022.
ABLE BC advocated for a cap to the minimum wage increase this year. We are frustrated and disappointed that our request was ignored. We surveyed industry to better understand the impact of this increase and shared sobering results with government and our members:
59 per cent of respondents expect their payroll to increase up to $20,000 while 34 per cent expect an increase of $20,000 to $60,000. Nearly 70 per cent expect reduced profit margins and, perhaps most concerning, 67 per cent of respondents are concerned about the viability of their business due to the minimum wage increase.
The survey highlighted the financial pressure on industry and underscored what we already know: government-imposed increases to labour costs hinder our ability to create jobs and sustain economic prosperity. Industry is still struggling to recover from the pandemic, and this most recent cost increase will be the final straw for many small businesses.
ABLE BC will continue to fight for your needs. And we encourage you to express your frustration directly to the Minister of Labour, the Honourable Harry Bains, at LBR.Minister@gov.bc.ca. Please copy your local MLA and ABLE BC’s Executive Director at jeff@ablebc.ca.
ABLE BC’s Benchmark Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who completed our benchmark surveys earlier this year! Your feedback is crucial to our understanding of the state of the industry and helps us advocate for your needs and ensure the financial health and recovery of private liquor businesses.
We are busy compiling all results into a final detailed report. This report will be available to ABLE members for free in the member portal in early summer. All non-members will be sent a copy for free as a thank-you for your participation.
Not a member of ABLE BC and missed out on contributing to the survey? The report will be available for purchase in our online store for $25.00. Interested in signing up with ABLE BC to view the report for free and gain access to our full suite of benefits and resources? Sign up today or contact Ann Brydle, Manager of Membership and Communication at ann@ablebc.ca or 604-688-5560.
ABLE BC Liquor Industry Meetings in the Okanagan & Kootenays
ABLE BC's Executive Director, Jeff Guignard, will be hitting the road this month for another round of liquor industry meetings! Join us for an industry meeting in your community throughout June and meet with ABLE members and industry colleagues.
Join Jeff at any of our liquor industry meetings to discuss what matters to you:
Have you had issues placing or receiving orders from LDB?
Do you have questions about the Terms and Conditions handbook for your license type?
Do you have questions about risks associated with decriminalized drugs or the rules around selling liquor to go?
Do you have concerns about your liquor license?
Have you had a visit from a liquor inspector recently?
Do you want to learn more about ABLE BC and how we work?
Are you aware of the current benefit programs available from ABLE BC?
Jeff will be travelling through the Okanagan and Kootenays to meet with industry members, answer your questions, and hear your concerns. These meetings are a great way to learn more about ABLE BC and network with your peers.
All attendees will get access to exclusive sign-up pricing only available at a liquor industry meeting.
Osoyoos Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Tuesday, June 20th
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: Watermark Beach Resort, 15 Park Pl, Osoyoos
Nelson Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Wednesday, June 21st
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: Adventure Hotel, 616 Vernon St, Nelson
Cranbrook Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Thursday, June 22nd
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: The Heid Out, 821 Baker St, Cranbrook
Fernie Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Thursday, June 22nd
Time: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Venue: The Fernie Taphouse, 691 1st Ave, Fernie
Invermere Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Friday, June 23rd
Time: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Venue: The Station Pub, 1701 6th Avenue
Invermere
Revelstoke Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Monday, June 26th
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: Regent Hotel, 12 1 St E, Revelstoke
Kamloops Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Tuesday, June 27th
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: The Commodore, 369 Victoria St, Kamloops
Vernon Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Tuesday, June 27th
Time: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Venue: The Kal, 3004 30th Ave, Vernon
Kelowna Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Wednesday, June 28th
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: Train Station Pub, 1177 Ellis St, Kelowna
Penticton Liquor Industry Meeting
Date: Thursday, June 29th
Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Venue: Penticton Lakeside Resort, 21 Lakeshore Drive, W Penticton
Please RSVP using the links above or email admin@ablebc.ca.
CEBA Loan Reimbursement Deadline
Last month, ABLE BC’s Executive Director Jeff Guignard wrote to Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finance, advocating on behalf of our members about the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan reimbursement deadline.
The CEBA program offered interest-free loans up to $60,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits, including 83 per cent of table-service businesses. CEBA provided a lifeline to industry when we needed it most, but as you know, the hospitality industry continues to struggle. We have serious concerns about industry’s financial health and ability to repay debt.
As of May 2023, a staggering 20 per cent of hospitality businesses report they will be unable to repay their CEBA loan – even in part. To ensure that the hospitality sector continues to play a major role in strong economic recovery, we wrote to Minister Freeland in support of Restaurants Canada’s proposal to:
Extend the CEBA repayment deadline by 36 months to ensure that debt repayments do not undermine industry profitability in the short-term, and
Implement a “scale-down” model of the forgivable part, decreasing by five per cent every six months.
The Business Technical Advisory Panel (BTAP) also wrote to Minister Freeland in support of this proposal.
We will provide further updates as they are available.
Please click here to read the ABLE BC letter and here to read the BTAP letter.
Extension to Direct Delivery from Off-Site Storage
The Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) has amended the Manufacturer licence terms and conditions to extend the authorization for BC manufacturers to deliver directly to retail customers from their on-site store or registered off-site storage facilities up to and including June 30, 2025.
Bulletin 23-05 was posted earlier this week, outlining the change.
This temporary measure does not authorize liquor manufacturers to sell liquor from their off-site storage locations. Customers will still be required to complete transactions through a licensee’s on-site store, online, or by telephone – they will not be able to physically purchase products at off-site storage locations.
Psychological Health and Safety Resources
Go2HR and the Canadian Mental Health Association have created new resources to help tourism and hospitality businesses support the psychological health and safety of staff. As you gear up to hire seasonal staff for the summer, please review these resources:
Demonstrating your commitment to psychological health & safety during recruitment
Recruitment considerations that support workplace psychological health & safety
The Summer 2023 Issue of The Quarterly Pour is Out Now!
Feature articles in this issue:
ABLE BC Industry Update from Executive Director Jeff Guignard
ABLE BC Membership Report from Manager of Membership and Communication Ann Brydle
ABLE BC Member Feature: The Shady Rest
LCRB Report from Assistant Deputy Minister David Hume
And more!
Download the full issue here
The Quarterly Pour is the official publication of ABLE BC.
BCHF Vancouver Golf Tournament, July 17, 2023
The BC Hospitality Foundation’s Vancouver Golf Tournament returns to Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club for a 13th year on July 17!
The BCHF is seeking experienced and aspiring golfers to come out and help raise money for the important work the foundation does with medical relief funding and for industry scholarships.
Monday, July 17
Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club – 3251 Plateau Boulevard, Coquitlam
10:30 am | Registration begins
11:30 am | Shotgun Start
Interested in sponsoring the tournament or donating to the silent auction? Reach out to samantha@sasparilla.ca for more information.
BCHF Victoria Golf Tournament, August 23, 2023
The BC Hospitality Foundation’s Victoria Golf Tournament returns to Olympic View Golf Club for a 9th year on August 23!
The BCHF is seeking experienced and aspiring golfers to come out and help raise money for the important work the foundation does with medical relief funding and for industry scholarships.
Wednesday, August 23
Olympic View Golf Club - 643 Latoria Road
11:30 am | Registration begins
1:00 pm | Shotgun Start
Interested in sponsoring the tournament or donating to the silent auction? Reach out to samantha@sasparilla.ca for more information.
Out and About with ABLE BC!
Last week Ann Brydle, Manager of Membership and Communication, joined the rest of the ABLE BC team in our Vancouver office for a week of collaboration, team building, and meetings.
We attended the Top Drop festival, where Ann moderated a panel wine marketing, met with our BarWatch members to discuss nightlife safety in Vancouver, and continued planning the upcoming 2023 edition of the SPARK conference with our friends at the BC Hotel Association. We’ll be sending out more details about this conference soon!
ABLE BC in the news:
May 24 CBC News: Vancouver’s Donnelly Group of bars and resturants files for creditor protection