Liquor Industry Update: September 29, 2022

Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues,

Heres’ what you’ll find in today’s update:

  • Quantity Limits Lifted at BC Liquor Stores

  • Resumption of LDB Wholesale Distribution

  • Fall Vaccination Campaign

  • Minister Mark Announces Departure

  • New Regulations in Effect to Protect Temporary Foreign Workers

  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: September 30, 2022

  • SPARK: BC Hotel and Liquor Conference, Presented by ABLE BC & BCHA

  • Renewal Season is Here!

  • Western Financial Group Relaunches Hospitality Insurance Program

  • Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinars

  • Benefit Highlight: Global Payments

  • Out and About with ABLE BC!

  • Join ABLE BC Today!

Find all past updates here.

Quantity Limits Lifted at BC Liquor Stores

We are pleased to share that effective Thursday, September 29, BC Liquor stores will be removing the three-item quantity limit on all products across all BCL stores.

Please note that there may be a small number of stores that continue to enforce quantity limits due to specific inventory challenges unique to individual stores. 

Reduced inventory levels at BCL will continue for the next few weeks until LDB Liquor Wholesale Operations is able to return to normal service levels, and in-store inventory has been fully replenished.

Click here to read a memo from LDB.

We will offer further updates as they are available.

Resumption of LDB Wholesale Distribution

The Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) distribution centres and Wholesale Customer Centres (WCC) have completed all orders prior to September 20. You will be notified when your order has been shipped.

We are pleased to share this update and want to express our thanks to LDB and WCC for working additional shifts and overtime to catch up on the high volume of orders. As a reminder, catching up on orders and getting back to normal service levels will take time. LDB is currently estimating another two or more weeks for service levels to return to normal. 

At this time, delivery windows and ETAs remain unavailable. We understand how frustrating these past few weeks have been and how challenging it is to run your businesses with low inventories and little information about when orders will arrive.

The WCC will notify customers once an order has been shipped from the distribution centre. LDB kindly asks that customers do not contact the distribution centres, please direct all inquiries to WCC at wholesalehelp@bcldb.com or 604-775-0681 or 1-888-775-0681.

We assure you that the LDB warehouses are doing their best to get products back into businesses. Your flexibility and understanding that deliveries may arrive outside regular delivery windows is greatly appreciated. We ask that you remain polite and professional with LDB and Wholesale Customer Centre (WCC) employees as they navigate current delivery challenges.

Non-stocked wholesale products (spec products) are being shipped but will continue to experience delays. 

LDB distribution centres and WCC will operate as per a statutory day on Friday, September 30, in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This means that:

  • WCC will be open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

  • The distribution centres will continue to receive product for pre-booked appointments

  • The distribution centres will continue to assemble and ship orders with reduced staffing

  • The Demand Planning, Product Registration, Pricing, Imports and Enterprise Data Services (EDS) departments will be closed and will reopen on Monday, October 3, 2022

We continue to meet with LDB frequently to pass along industry needs and feedback and ensure that orders are shipped efficiently and fairly. 

Click here to read a memo from LDB.

We will offer further updates as soon as they are available.

Fall Vaccination Campaigns

The Government of Canada is seeking your support to encourage booster uptake for the upcoming fall vaccination campaign. Canada has achieved high levels of primary series vaccination, in part due to the strong collaboration and innovative support provided by our industry partners during the rollout last year. The COVID-19 pandemic remains dynamic and new variants may emerge, especially as people return to in-person workplaces and we head into the Fall where more time is spent indoors and COVID-19 can spread more easily. But, we continue to have new tools available: our youngest Canadians 6 months to 5 years old are now eligible for vaccination against COVID-19[1], our children aged 5 to 11 years old can now get boosted[2], and Moderna’s bivalent vaccine has been authorized for use as a booster dose in individuals 18 years and older[3]. 

The challenge: Uptake of additional doses and pediatric vaccines is lagging. Most people in Canada that did receive a booster dose (and not everyone did) likely did so in late 2021/early 2022 and will need an additional dose in the Fall as immunity wanes, in order to keep their vaccinations up-to-date for optimal protection, in line with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations. 

Why this matters: We know that people are tired of COVID-19, so encouraging everyone to remain up-to-date on routine vaccines, including for COVID-19, to support a return to economic and social activities, will require us to all work together. Your businesses, associations, and networks have played, and will continue to play, a critical role in ensuring that people across the country can safely work and access the vital goods and services they need. As COVID-19 continues to circulate in our communities and public health measures are largely lifted, there is a greater dependency on individual actions such as vaccination to protect people working in Canada. Promoting vaccination among your employees and networks can help mitigate prolonged workforce absenteeism due to severe illness, which can be particularly important in the context of existing labour shortages, especially during respiratory illness season.

ACTION: Share messaging on getting up-to-date 

Research shows that communications from employers are the ones Canadians trust most, ahead of national government. As employers, you can be an ideal channel for reaching out to priority populations for vaccination, including newcomers, racialized individuals, and migrant or temporary workers. Sharing the following key messages to your employees and networks could help support the fall campaign:

  • As COVID-19 continues to circulate in Canada, it is important for everyone to maintain up-to-date vaccination by getting booster doses as recommended by NACI and individuals’ trusted health care providers to reduce their risks of severe illness due to COVID-19.

  • Vaccination is and will continue to be a critical public health measure. Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations remains the best line of defence against serious illness, hospitalization and death.

  • You should get vaccinated even if you’ve been previously infected or think you may have been infected. While a previous COVID-19 infection can provide some protection, up-to-date vaccination—including booster doses—is recommended to provide longer-lasting, more effective protection against severe outcomes. Vaccination following infection, also called hybrid immunity, results in strong immune responses, and may provide superior protection than vaccination or infection alone.

  • Booster doses are recommended for all eligible populations. If it has been six months since your last dose or six months since being infected with COVID-19, get another booster dose. This is especially important if you are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

  • Help strengthen your defences against serious illness by getting up-to-date with all the COVID-19 vaccine doses recommended for you. Consult your local health care resources or provincial or territorial public health authority to get up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines, including booster doses.

[1] Health Canada authorized Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine (25 mcg) for infants and young children aged 6 months to 5 years of age on July 14.

[2] Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty (10 mcg) vaccine was authorized as a booster dose for children aged 5 to 11 years of age on August 19.

[3] Health Canada authorized Moderna Spikevax Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (50 mcg) for adults 18 years and older on September 1. Pfizer initiated its rolling submission to Health Canada for their Omicron BA.1 bivalent candidate on July 25.

Minister Mark Announces Departure

Yesterday, Premier John Horgan issued the following statement announcing Minister Melanie Mark's departure as Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport:

“Today, Minister Melanie Mark advised me of her decision to resign her cabinet portfolio and go on medical leave to focus on pressing and urgent personal matters. While I regret that she will not be at the cabinet table, I respect her decision and her commitment to her constituents. I have asked Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services, to assume responsibility for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, effective immediately, in addition to her current portfolio.”

The ABLE BC team extends our gratitude to Minister Mark for her dedication and hard work as Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, & Sport. We wish her the best at this time.

And we welcome Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services, who has assumed responsibility for Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport.

New Regulations in Effect to Protect Temporary Foreign Workers

New amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Temporary Foreign Workers) are now in force. The new regulations will better protect TFWs and help prevent mistreatment and abuse during their stay in Canada by:

  • mandating that employers provide all TFWs with information about their rights in Canada;

  • prohibiting reprisal by employers against workers, for instance against those who come forward with complaints; and,

  • prohibiting employers from charging recruitment fees to workers and holding them accountable for the actions of recruiters in this regard.

In addition, employers are now required to provide reasonable access to health care services. Employers using the TFW Program are also required to provide private health insurance when needed. 

Click here to learn more.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: September 30, 2022

This Friday is Canada’s second-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This federal statutory holiday honours Indigenous children who never returned home, survivors of residential schools, and their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) has shared resources and ways to commemorate the day:

ITBC will share unique Indigenous stories of truth and reconciliation over the next year. With ongoing national dialogue, they share the first steps on a long journey toward a safe space where true collaboration, partnership, and reconciliation can happen.

September 30th is also Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family, and community intergenerational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters.” The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.

ABLE BC invites you to join us in taking time to reflect and learn about the intergenerational harm that residential schools caused Indigenous families and communities and to wear orange to honour survivors.

SPARK: BC’s Hotel and Liquor Conference, Presented by ABLE BC & BCHA

This year, ABLE BC is pleased to partner with the British Columbia Hotel Association to bring the first ever Spark: BC Hotel & Liquor Conference.

Created for liquor retailers, publicans, hospitality owners and managers, hoteliers and liquor industry professionals, this event will bring together BC’s liquor and hospitality industries for an array of informative sessions that will SPARK ideas relating to growth, advocacy, labour, and more!

Save the Date! 

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

The conference will take place in Vancouver on Granville Island at the Waterfront and Nest Theaters, with a special joint lunch session at Dockside Restaurant and followed by an industry reception. 

All industry members are welcome!

Why should you attend SPARK?

ACCESS: direct access to government officials and presentations by key industry leaders and opinion experts across BC's hospitality sector.

VALUABLE SEMINARS: new seminar topics to help you adapt to the changing business world. Learn about consumer and shopper insights, supply chain issues, workforce, and much more!

NETWORKING: Meet and connect with accommodation, hospitality, and liquor operators from across BC - one of the chances you get to see all the people in one room!

PLUS: a member-exclusive joint lunch & workforce session at Dockside Restaurant and post-conference industry reception.

Register for SPARK Today!

Renewal Season is Here!

ABLE BC memberships expired on August 31, 2022. All members have been sent an invoice. If you have not received yours, please reach out to Ann, Manager of Membership and Communication, at ann@ablebc.ca or 604-688-5560.

ABLE BC is the only association fighting for BC’s private liquor industry, and we will continue the fight every day. We are only able to do this work because of the support of our members. Put simply, ABLE BC does not exist without your membership dues. 

Thank you to everyone who has renewed already! Your support is critical to our industry’s success.

Looking for more ways to support our advocacy work? You can donate to our advocacy fund at any time! Donating to this fund gives us the resources we need to seek legal counsel, pressure government through media campaigns, and provide additional resources to our members for free.

Any amount helps! Those who donate $5000 by Dec. 1 will be invited to a special event hosted by ABLE BC’s President Yvan Charette and featuring a senior elected official. (We’ll announce more details soon.) 

Looking back over the past year, we’re proud of the work we did to support you and our industry. We have a solid track record of success in achieving policy changes that support your businesses. 

Last summer, while still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, ABLE BC continued to be your voice and your community. Here are some of our successes from the past year:

  • Frequent media coverage to put pressure on government for needed policy reforms and financial support

  • Guidance and resources for vaccination policies and mandatory paid sick leave

  • Free educational webinars on topics that matter most to you, including e-commerce for LRS, understanding Bill 10, hiring foreign workers

  • In-person meetings across the province through May and June to hear directly from you about the issues that matter most to your businesses

  • We secured permanent wholesale pricing for hospitality businesses

  • We secured permission for LRS businesses to sell to Special Event Permit (SEP) holders and produced guidance around the best practices for building this new revenue stream

  • Hospitality businesses are now allowed to sell alcohol and cocktails to-go with takeaway and delivery meals

  • We extended the moratorium on new LRS licences a further 10 years, until 2032

  • We extended temporary patio permissions

  • We reactivated our LRS and LP committees to help us shape our policy priorities and goals for the future

During the BCGEU strike, we worked tirelessly to support our industry in several ways:

  • Met with government daily to explain the damage the strike was doing to industry, maintain pressure for a swift end to the labour dispute, and provide feedback on LDB restart plans

  • Provided near-daily updates and an FAQ to keep members informed

  • Produced a survey to measure the impact on our industry

  • Created free signage for LRS and cannabis retail stores explaining stock outages to customers

  • Collated a list of local producers offering direct delivery

  • Hosted a free webinar with go2HR on How to Navigate Employee Layoffs

  • Along with a coalition of industry associations, published an open letter to government and the BCGEU calling for an end to the dispute and strike action.

The BCGEU strike put a spotlight on the inefficiencies of our distribution system. Now that the strike is over, we will be pressing for logical reform to the current government monopoly. Things like direct delivery of locally produced ready-to-drink canned cocktails, privatised distribution of certain non-stocked spec products, and the ability of LRSs to sell directly to hospitality businesses. 

We will continue pushing for critical liquor policy reforms and improvements, including:

  • Expanding our advocacy efforts to support BC’s emerging private cannabis industry

  • Maintain the 1 km distance rule between liquor stores in perpetuity

  • Protect the differentiation between liquor retailing and the ability of LPs and FPs to sell alcohol with take-away/delivery meals

  • Permit licensee sales, allowing private liquor retailers to sell products directly to hospitality customers

  • Tackle our industry’s growing labour crisis, which is handcuffing thousands of businesses and hindering your return to profitability

  • Stabilise skyrocketing insurance premiums, particularly for our LP and LP-nightclub members

  • Modernise liquor licensing applications so the process is faster, simpler, and more transparent

  • Streamline provincial and municipal processes for making temporary patios permanent

  • Continue our work with LDB Wholesale to improve service and delivery and advocate to allow wholesale customers greater flexibility on where they can purchase products

Click here to see a summary of ABLE BC’s benefits.

Click here for instructions on paying your renewal invoice.

Western Financial Group Relaunches Hospitality Insurance Program

Renewal for the beverage division of the Hospitality Insurance Program (HIP) is October 1st, 2022 – October 1st, 2023.

After extensive negotiations and collaboration with insurance partners and member associations, Western Financial Group (WFG) is pleased to provide all program participants with the Protected Self Insurance Structure (PSIP) moving forward. This unique structure affords program participants with an ownership of their program premiums and an ability to influence stability and the costs associated with insurance coverage.

Under the HIP, 35% of program premiums for the beverage division are allocated through to a member-owned “Protected Self-Insurance Fund” used to payout the first portion of claims. The PSIP fund can never be in a deficit and allows for opportunities for return-of-premium when surpluses exist. Previously, the PSIP loss pool generated $2.6 million in returns of premium back to program participants – funds that otherwise would have stayed within the insurance industry.

 WFG reminds you to please review all of the insurance amounts and limitations on your Certificate of Insurance. Policy wordings are accessible through www.hipinsurance.ca

WFG is committed to partnering with the hospitality industry to provide creative solutions to ensure industry-leading coverage continues to be afforded under the Program. Policies continue to be tailored to every participating property per their varying insurance needs and requirements. Most importantly, we continue to develop creative and proactive risk management policies and procedures to help members reduce losses and positively impact their Program.

The Hospitality Insurance Program is a value-added membership benefit of ABLE BC. Membership in good standing with ABLE BC is a requirement for participation on the Hospitality Insurance Program.

Should you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your respective Commercial Insurance Advisor or call WFG toll-free at 1-800-665-8990.

Click here for an overview of the PSIP relaunch.

Click here for the HIP renewal package.

Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinars 

TIPS: Training in Prevention & Safety – Online Course for Victoria Licensees

Training in Prevention & Safety (TIPS) is a FREE online course for the Victoria hospitality industry developed by the Ending Violence Association of BC (EVA BC) and Good Night Out Vancouver (GNOV). With courses designed for both employers and employees, TIPS provides training around workplace culture, recognizing and responding to incidents, supporting those impacted, and legal requirements.

TIPS is interactive and engaging with scenarios, videos, downloadable resources, and interactive quizzes. This self-guided course is estimated to take 2.5-3 hours.

Click here to learn more.

Click here to register for employer training.

Click here to register for employee training.

Vancouver IVSA Buyer’s Salon NEW DATE October 18, 2022

The Vancouver IVSA Buyer’s Salon is coming up soon! RSVP to admin@ivsa.ca now to sample products from several liquor agents.

When: Tuesday, October 18, 2022, 12:30-4:00 pm

Where: The Vancouver Club, 915 W Hastings Street

Agents will showcase the newest imported wines, spirits & beers. Also look for unique featured imports. Attendance may be restricted to the following: licensee buyers, proprietors, sommeliers, managers, chefs, media, and BCLS product consultants only.

RSVP to admin@ivsa.ca. Your RSVP must include your full name (first and last) and company name or website 

Victoria IVSA Buyer’s Salon October 24, 2022

The Victoria IVSA Buyer’s Salon is coming up soon! RSVP to admin@ivsa.ca now to sample products from several liquor agents.

When: Monday, October 24, 2022, 12:30-4:00 pm

Where: Delta Ocean Pointe, 100 Harbour Road

Agents will showcase the newest imported wines, spirits & beers. Also look for unique featured imports. Attendance may be restricted to the following: licensee buyers, proprietors, sommeliers, managers, chefs, media, and BCLS product consultants only.

RSVP to admin@ivsa.ca. Your RSVP must include your full name (first and last) and company name or website.

BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference March 1-3, 2023

The BC Hotel Association (BCHA) and the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia (TIABC) are excited to announce the 2023 BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference will return March 1-3, 2023.

The 2023 conference will take place in Prince George and will bring an array of unique industry speakers and topics relating to the next chapter of tourism and hospitality within our province.

Click here to learn more.

Benefit Highlight: Global Payments 

We are pleased to partner with Global Payments to bring you access to the broadest selection of payment technology and software solutions in Canada. Make use of this limited-time offer and start accepting payments anywhere—online, through mobile, in-store, and more, for less!

Special Limited Time Offer for ABLE BC members (sign up from September 1, 2022 to November 30, 2022):

  • Free terminal rental. Rent up to two (2) POS terminals at no additional cost for the first three (3) months.

  • Satisfaction guarantee. No set up fee (up to $200 savings). Try us risk-free for the first 90 days. If you are not satisfied, you can exit penalty-free.

  • Free cost analysis. No obligation cost analysis to identify potential savings opportunities for your business.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Benefits for ABLE BC Members:

  • Streamlined payments: Acceptance for all major debit and credit payment types, including digital wallets

  • Robust suite of payment products: Includes the latest smart terminals and virtual terminals to offer you a choice of next-generation countertop, wireless, and online payment acceptance.

  • Online Ordering: Take your restaurant business wherever your customers are, in just a few clicks. Give your customers the ability to view your menu and place orders from any location through the web or smartphone.

  • Home Currency Pay at no cost: This dynamic currency conversion service is a must for hosting international travelers. Boost profits and customer satisfaction.

  • Fast access to funds: Deposited to your bank account as early as the next business day.

  • Comprehensive industry-leading support: The support you need, when you need it—24/7/365.

Contact Global Payments today!

Out and About with Able BC!

It’s been a busy couple weeks for the ABLE BC team. We have working to get all of our members renewed, meeting with government to ensure the LDB service resumption goes as smoothly as possible, planning the SPARK conference with our friends at the BC Hotel Association, and learning more about the needs of BC’s cannabis retailers.

Last week, our Executive Director, Jeff Guignard spoke at a SKAL Vancouver event at The Vancouver Club. He reflected on ABLE’s work during the pandemic and the resiliency of BC’s private liquor industry. 

Jeff also attended Growing Relationships in Kelowna, a cannabis industry event hosted by StratCann that brought together producers, retailers, and more to build relationships and industry connections.

Jeff has also been in the news recently:

Join ABLE BC Today!

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. 

Join ABLE Today!

Ann Brydle