Liquor Industry Update: June 23, 2022
Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues,
Here's what you'll find inside today's update:
Reminder: Moving to Bi-Weekly Industry Update Newsletters
Update on Possible BCGEU Strike
Licensee to Licensee Sales
Vancouver Mayor Announces New Office for Night Time EconomyUpdate from the LP and LRS Policy Committees
Minors as Agents Program
ABLE BC Webinar Recordings Available
Cup By-Law Changes Enacted in Vancouver
Extension of Temporary Authority for B.C. Liquor Manufacturers to Deliver Directly to Customers from Registered Off-Site Stoarge Locations
WORTH Association: Yes Shef!
Welcome New ABLE BC Members!
Out and About with ABLE BC!
Find all past updates here.
Reminder: Moving to Bi-Weekly Industry Update Newsletters
As a reminder, we are reducing our Industry Update e-newsletters to bi-weekly. You’ll now be hearing from us every second Thursday.
Even though you’ll receive fewer Industry Updates in your inbox, you can always count on us to send urgent updates as needed, as well as e-blasts inviting you to events, introducing new members and associate members, and letting you know about benefit providers and special offers for ABLE members.
Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything ABLE BC!
Do you have feedback on ABLE’s Industry Update newsletter? Are there topics you would like to see us address here? Let us know!
Contact Ann Brydle, Manager of Membership and Communication at ann@ablebc.ca.
Update on Possible BCGEU Strike
As we have previously reported, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), which includes LDB warehouse workers, is in negotiations for a new contract. The union began a strike vote in May and counted ballots yesterday, June 22, 2022.
Over 90% of the 33,000 voting members said they are prepared to strike for a fair collective agreement. This vote does not necessarily mean a strike will happen. Negotiations will begin again on June 27, 2022.
We share your concerns about a possible strike and are continuing to monitor. We have been in talks with government and will provide updates and details on the result of the vote as we are able.
We can assure you that government is invested in protecting the integrity of the supply chain and will take measures to ensure there are no disruptions or negative effect on your businesses.
At this time, we are confident the supply chain will remain intact. There is no need to stockpile products or increase your orders.
Please reach out to info@ablebc.ca if you have questions or concerns.
Click here to read a press release from BCGEU.
Vancouver Mayor Announces New Office for Night Time Economy
Earlier today, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart announced the launch of the new Office for Night Time Economy, with support from the Downtown Vancouver BIA, Hospitality Vancouver, and Destination Vancouver.
The Night Office will lead outreach and advocacy for Vancouver’s night-time economy. A full-time Night Advocate with be hired this fall.
Earlier this month, Mayor Kennedy made three significant commitments for the fall budget:
To fully fund a permanent night time advocate to transform our night-time economy into a centerpiece of our city’s social fabric.
To expand the mandate of the Sport Hosting, so that the City can help attract more conferences, conventions, music, and trade shows.
To repeal antiquated regulations, starting with a harmonized 3:00 AM bar closing all along Granville St., as well as looking for additional ways to increase service hours and streamline regulations all across our city to facilitate greater patron access.
This announcement of the Office for Night Time Economy is the next step in moving ahead on those commitments.
Click here to read the full announcement.
Minors as Agents Program
Now that summer is here, licensees of all types should expect to see the Minors as Agents Program (MAP) up and running. We strongly recommend reviewing your due diligence policies and procedures with all staff.
Starting in 2010, the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (then LCLB) began sending minors in to licensed establishments as an enforcement and compliance tool. Licensees who sell liquor to an undercover minor will face heavy fines and possible suspension of their liquor license. Recent case history, however, has shown that licensees can fight the allegations with a defense of due diligence.
According to section 78(4) of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, minors who are “employed or contracted by a municipal police board, the provincial police force or the general manager to test the compliance of a licensee” are permitted to purchase liquor. Under MAP, one to three undercover agents, including a minor, will enter a licensed establishment and attempt to purchase liquor in order to test the establishment’s compliance.
MAP does not allow the undercover agent to lie, an important distinction from entrapment. Typically, the undercover agent will leave their wallet in a car and when asked for identification will simply respond they do not have their ID on them then leave. If asked how old they are, they will tell the truth. Occasionally, they might present their ID, which would show their age as under 19.
ABLE BC has due diligence materials available online for members as well as signage in our online store. If you are interested in these materials, please get in touch with Ann Brydle, Manager of Membership and Communication, about becoming an ABLE member. You can reach Ann at 604-688-5560 or ann@ablebc.ca.
ABLE BC Webinar Recordings Available
ABLE BC hosted two webinars earlier this week. On Tuesday we were joined by Ryan Anderson and Mark Bout of MathewsDinsdale Law to learn more about Bill 10 and what the recent changes that eased unionization efforts could mean for your business.
Earlier today we hosted a panel discussion on e-commerce for LRS followed by a presentation from new associate member, BottlecAPPs.
Recordings of these webinars are available online to members, after logging in to your account. If you are an existing member but haven’t yet set up your account, please reach out to Ann for help signing in.
If you are not a member and would like to view these recordings, you can easily sign up for an ABLE membership here.
Contact Ann at 604-688-5560 or ann@ablebc.ca for help with membership.
Cup By-Law Changes Enacted in Vancouver
Starting July 1, 2022, Vancouver businesses will be required to accept customers’ clean reusable cups. Vancouver food vendors must have a written procedure for serving drinks in a customer’s clean resuable cup.
The new by-law requirements for reusable cups were developed with guidance from public health authorities. These changes help create a level playing ground for businesses and allow customers to avoid the cup fee and reduce waste by choosing a reusable alternative.
Click here to read more.
Extension of Temporary Authority for BC Liquor Manufacturers to Deliver Directly to Customers from Registered Off-Site Storage Locations
The temporary authorization allowing BC liquor manufacturers to deliver to customers from a registered off-site storage location has been extended again. The original expiration date was set as March 31, 2022, it was then extended to June 30, 2022.
Now, the extended authorization is effective up to and including June 30, 2023.
This authorization is designed to assist manufacturing partners in speeding up the delivery of products to retail customers who purchase directly from the manufacturer.
We do not anticipate it will have any impact on retail sales from LRS businesses.
Click here to read more.
WORTH Association: Yes Shef!
After a successful sold out event in 2019, WORTH Association’s Yes Shef returns! At this long-table dinner, guests will be served five unique courses with wine pairings.
Join WORTH on Monday, August 15, 2022 at 6pm for Yes Shef at Chambar Restaurant (568 Beatty Street, Vancouver) for a night of food and wine from women chefs and sommeliers.
Click here to buy tickets.
Welcome New ABLE BC Members!
ABLE BC has welcomed several new members in the first half of 2022!
Join us in welcoming these new LP and LRS members:
Join us in welcoming these new associate members:
ABLE BC is the leading liquor advocacy organization in the province. We have a proven track record of success fighting for the interests of Liquor Primary and Licensee Retail Store businesses. We are dedicated to helping our industry come out of the pandemic stronger than ever!
We can’t do our work without the support of our members. ABLE is a non-profit organization and we depend on membership fees to continue to lobby and fight for your needs.
ABLE BC members have access to several benefit programs that offer exclusive discounts and are designed to help your business thrive. In addition to our benefit programs, we offer expert advice, regular webinars, the annual Liquor Industry Conference, and many networking opportunities.
Out and About with ABLE BC!
The ABLE team has had some ups and downs in the past two weeks. Ann took a few days off to explore the wine and cocktail scene in Portland, Oregon. Jeff had a trip planned to Penticton to meet with Okanagan Valley licensees, but unfortunately came down with COVID and had to cancel. He’s all better now, so stay tuned for a new Penticton industry meeting date!
The two webinars hosted this week were a great success! We had over 100 attendees from across the province and from several business types join us to learn more about Bill 10 and e-commerce for LRS businesses. Now that summer is here and your businesses are getting even busier, we’ll have a short pause on webinars before starting back up in the fall.
And speaking of the fall, we’ve begun planning for the annual BC Liquor Conference! We’re really excited about this year’s conference and can’t wait to share the details. We’ll be sending out a save the date soon, so keep an eye out for more information!
