Weekly Liquor Industry Update: April 14, 2022
Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues,
Here's what you'll find inside today's update:
Possible BCGEU Strike
Vancouver Island Liquor Industry Meetings April 19 & 20
go2HR Resources for Communicable Disease Plans
BCHA’s Workforce Strategist Discusses the Labour Crisis and Solutions
Seeking Feedback on the Possible Elimination or Revision of the Tied House Regulation in the Liquor Control and Licensing Act
BCHF #HospitalityHustle 2022
LRS & LP Committee Meetings April 28
California Wine Experience Vancouver
DVBIA State of Downtown 2022
BCHF Golf Tournaments Return with One New Addition!
Out and About with ABLE BC!
Find all past updates here.
Possible BCGEU Strike
As you are aware, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), which includes LDB warehouse workers, is in negotiations for a new contract. According to media reports, the union has started an information campaign advising members of a possible strike vote as early as May.
We share your concerns about a possible strike and understand how the uncertainty of the situation is causing anxiety for you and your businesses.
We have been in regular talks with government about protecting the integrity of the supply chain. We are working to ensure there are no disruptions or negative effects 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.
HELPFUL LINKS
ABLE BC Resources
Visit our COVID-19 Resources page for Liquor Primary COVID Best Practices, template signage, recent policy changes, and more.
Public Health Orders
Visit this page to download all current regional and provincial public health orders.
BC's Restart Plan
Visit the BC Government website for more information on the four-step
Restart Plan.
go2HR Resources
Visit the go2HR website for COVID-19 FAQ for Employers, HR information and updates, and more.
Vancouver Island Liquor Industry Meetings April 19 & 20
This month, ABLE BC will be hosting our first in-person industry meetings since 2020!
We will be in Victoria on Tuesday, April 19th and Nanaimo on Wednesday, April 20th. We hope to see you there!
These meetings are open to owners, managers, and staff members from liquor stores, pubs, bars, nightclubs, hotels, and other liquor industry professionals. We are inviting both ABLE BC members and non-members, so please feel free to pass this invitation along to your hospitality and retail colleagues.
Come meet ABLE BC’s Executive Director, Jeff Guignard, for a discussion of:
What is ABLE BC and how do we work?
Update on current liquor industry issues
Learn about the issues ABLE BC is advocating for and our progress on key policy priorities
Learn about ABLE BC benefit programs
Connect with other licensees and ABLE BC members in your area
Question and answer period with ABLE BC Executive Director, Jeff Guignard
We look forward to meeting you face-to-face to hear about the issues that matter most to you and your businesses!
Victoria Details:
Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Time: 9:30 am to 11:30 am
Location: Spinnakers Brewpub, 308 Catherine Street, Victoria, BC
Nanaimo Details:
Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Quarterway Pub, 1431 Bowen Road, Nanaimo, BC
Please RSVP by Monday, April 18 to Ann Brydle (Manager of Membership and Communication) at ann@ablebc.ca. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Ann.
go2HR Resources for Communicable Disease Plans
When the remaining COVID-19 restrictions were lifted earlier this month, businesses were able to transition to a Communicable Disease Plan instead of a COVID-19 Safety Plan.
go2HR has developed a checklist and detailed resources for businesses to help ensure you have factored in all of the key prevention measures.
Use the checklist to assess the risks in your workplace and record the steps that you are taking to protect workers.
Request a free consultation with a member of go2HR's health and safety team to discuss appropriate measures for your business and answer your questions.
Upload your completed checklist or prevention plan and go2HR will review it for you and provide tailored feedback.
Click here to view all the resources available.
BCHA's Workforce Strategist Discusses the Labour Crisis and Solutions
The BC Hotel Association’s (BCHA) Workforce Strategist, Alison Langford, recently joined The Business of Travel podcast, alongside Philip Mondor, President and CEO, Tourism HR Canada to discuss the current issues around the labour shortage in the tourism industry and what can be done to address these issues.
While the conversation is focused specifically on tourism, the same issues are affecting hospitality and retail businesses. Alison has expertise in international recruitment and she is a great resource for any of our members struggling to hire both domestic and foreign workers.
Click here to listen to the podcast, and reach out to Alison here if you have questions about hiring foreign workers.
Seeking Feedback on the Possible Elimination or Revision of the Tied House Regulation in the Liquor Control and Licensing Act
The Liquor Control and Licensing Act currently permits a Tied House arrangement between a liquor manufacturer – brewery, winery, or distillery – and a maximum of three of its own offsite establishments. For example: A brewery can sell its products in a maximum of three licensed establishments that are under the same ownership as the brewery.
Several years ago the exception to allow sales in a maximum of three offsite establishments was introduced. The intent of this policy was to restrict manufacturers from giving themselves an unfair advantage. But it was designed before the emergence of craft manufacturing here in BC and has mainly inhibited smaller producers from gaining the same foothold in the market as larger manufacturers.
Some members have suggested that government should eliminate tied house restrictions. This opinion is based on consumer choice and necessity to provide a selection of product options (i.e. no pub or restaurant is only going to sell just one alcohol product given today’s competitive market).
But we want to hear from you. Is this a policy you would like to see changed?
Click here to fill out a short survey and share your opinions on Tied House regulations. The survey will close on Friday, April 15th.
If you would like more information about Tied House and the implications of the current restrictions, contact Carmen MacKeage of Rising Tide Consultants at carmen@risingtideconsultants.ca or 604-669-2928.
BCHF #HospitalityHustle 2022
The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) invites you to join this year’s #HospitalityHustle. Help us unite British Columbians to raise awareness for the Foundation, promote healthy lifestyle choices, and have some fun.
When: April 19 – May 29 (40 days)
Where: Anywhere you can move
Distance: Help complete the route around BC – 16,608 km. Why this number? It takes 5,536 km to complete our route around BC. But we like a challenge and think we can triple that!
Fundraising goal: $20,000 – Supports 4 Beneficiaries in British Columbia
How To Get Involved:
Challenge your friends and family members to participate with you and get moving.
Set a personal fitness goal and choose any form of physical activity you wish: Basketball, Biking, Dancing, Gymnastics, Hiking, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Walking, etc. This goal can be a private goal, or you can share it to keep yourself accountable.
Submit your completed minutes or km weekly
Help BCHF achieve our goal of uniting communities across British Columbia. We’ll send out a weekly email on Mondays with a link to log your progress (anonymously). Our “collective” progress map will be updated weekly with the accumulated efforts from participants to see how far we can get.
Post a donation request to encourage your friends a family to donate to BCHF to support our overall fundraising goal. Social media images and suggested content will be provided to help you promote it. It’s easy, just copy and paste.
Share your progress and have fun. Exercising with friends is way more fun. Share your progress with photos/videos on social media and tag #HospitalityHustle to connect with other participants.
Join us online at the Finish Line. Sunday, May 29 at 2:00 pm. We have some fun prizes to give away!
More details about the 2022 #HospitalityHustle can be found here.
LRS & LP Policy Committee Meetings
Interested in helping set ABLE BC’s policy priorities and government relations strategies? Join one of our policy committees and work directly with ABLE BC’s Executive Director, Jeff Guignard, to tackle our industry’s most urgent liquor retail and liquor primary issues.
ABLE BC members are invited to join our Licensee Retail Store and Liquor Primary policy committees, both meeting on Thursday, April 28, 2022.
Committees set their own agenda and, in concert with ABLE BC’s Executive Director Jeff Guignard, report directly to ABLE BC’s Board of Directors. Committee members will be asked to consider the most urgent and critical challenges in their respective sectors, as well as practical tactics to address these issues with government.
Licensee Retail Store Policy Committee:
Liquor Primary Policy Committee:
To join a committee, or to submit issues you’d like the committee to discuss, please contact Jeff Guignard at jeff@ablebc.ca.
Please RSVP to Ann Brydle (Manager of Membership and Communications) and indicate which committee you would like to join by Wednesday, April 27.
California Wine Experience Vancouver
California Wines invites you to take an exploratory trip to California Wine Country and discover the many vintners and wineries of the Golden State. Soak up the sunshine during this educational, immersive walk-around tasting event that showcases more than 90 wineries and over 350 wines from throughout California.
Date: Monday, April 25, 2022
Location: Hyatt Regency, 3rd floor Ballroom, 655 Burrard St, Vancouver
Session 1: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Session 2: 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Please register here with password calexpvan2022.
Click here for more information.
DVBIA State of Downtown 2022
The State of Downtown event is back!
Join a panel of industry specialists as they share their insights and expertise on how downtown Vancouver fared during the past year, as well as their outlook for the future.
Date: Wednesday, April 27
Time: 3:30 pm- 6:00 pm
Location: Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Pacific Ballroom. 900 W Georgia St, Vancouver
Panelists:
Jeff Guignard, Executive Director, Alliance of Beverage Licensees (ABLE BC)
Andrew Petrozzi, Director Research, Western Canada Commercial, Altus Group
Paulina Cameron, CEO, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs
Moderator:
Nolan Marshall III, President and CEO, Downtown Vancouver BIA
FREE for DVBIA members. Refreshments and two drinks per person included.
Click here to register.
BCHF Golf Tournaments Return with One New Addition!
The BCHF is excited to announce the launch of our new Okanagan tournament. The inaugural Okanagan tournament kicks off the golf season on May 10, 2022, followed by legacy tournaments in Vancouver and Victoria this summer. Registration is now open for all three tournaments.
Annual Golf Tournaments are important fundraising events for the foundation. Funds raised help hospitality workers across BC each year that are in a financial crisis due to a medical condition.
BCHF Tournaments attract over 130 golfers in each city and are known to be a fun-filled networking event for owners, managers, and suppliers. These events are a great opportunity for team building initiatives and to celebrate your partners and suppliers.
Food and drinks will be provided at several holes throughout the course. The day of golf finishes with a networking reception, grazing dinner and silent auction. Thanks to our industry partners there are many great prizes to be won!
Important Dates:
Tuesday, May 10th
Okanagan Golf Tournament, the Harvest Golf Club, Kelowna
Monday, July 4th
Vancouver Golf Tournament, Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club, Coquitlam
Tuesday, August 23rd
Victoria Golf Tournament, Olympic View Golf Club
Out and About with ABLE BC!
The ABLE BC team is back at in-person events! We are excited to see our members and engage with our community face-to-face. Earlier this week, Jeff and Ann attended a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade breakfast event featuring Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland. Minister Freeland was in town to discuss the federal government’s 2022 Budget.