Weekly Liquor Industry Update: March 10, 2022
Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues,
Here's what you'll find inside today's update:
Masks No Longer Required as of March 11, 2022
A Message from Executive Director, Jeff Guignard
ABLE BC 2022 Annual General Meeting Recording
The Quarterly Pour Seeking Members for Editorial Committee
TESA's Expiring Soon, Apply for a Permanent Patio NOW
Vancouver's Summer Patio Program Launched March 2
go2HR Launches Safer Spaces
Victoria IVSA Buyer's Salon
BCHF Scholarship Applications Now Open!
ABLE BC in the News
Find all past updates here.
Masks No Longer Required as of March 11, 2022
We are beyond excited to share some wonderful news with you!
Dr. Bonnie Henry announced today that effective March 11, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. masks will no longer be required in indoor public spaces.
Individual businesses can decide to require staff and patrons to wear masks as part of their COVID-19 safety plan, and masks will continue to be required in federally regulated spaces like airports.
Dr. Henry also outlined some more changes that will come into effect on April 8, 2022 at 12:01 am.
COVID-19 safety plans are still required, but these will transition to communicable disease plans on April 8th.
Vaccine cards are also still required until April 8th. As a reminder, you are required to scan a patron’s vaccine card using the BC Vaccine Card Verifier App and confirm identification.
You can read the government press release here and see all current Public Health Orders here.
A Message from Executive Director, Jeff Guignard
After two long years, it feels like we can finally say it: the pandemic is officially behind us. With mandatory mask requirements lifting tomorrow and vaccine verification going away in April, our industry will no longer be subject to any significant society-wide public health restrictions. And it feels great.
It means our industry can finally get back to business and can start planning seriously for our future. It means we can begin to rebuild and recoup the staggering losses of the past two years.
I’m immensely proud of the work our Board of Directors and staff did during the pandemic to support you—particularly our hardest hit pub, bar, and nightclub members. While I know not everyone made it (about 15 per cent of B.C.’s hospitality industry closed permanently since 2020), we proved what we could achieve when we all worked together.
Throughout the pandemic, the team at ABLE BC worked hard to offer clarity amid the chaos via sometimes daily newsletters, dozens of webinars, and two virtual BC Liquor Conferences. We met senior government officials every week to advocate for your needs and to amend policies and Public Health Orders. Our industry acted with a united voice, we forged and sustained lasting relationships with our government partners, and we increased our industry’s public profile with clear and consistent messaging in media.
We also secured some significant policy wins that benefitted our members and our industry overall. Things like:
Wholesale pricing for hospitality licensees
Liquor retail was declared an essential service
LPs and FPs can sell alcohol with take-away and delivery meals
We extended the LRS moratorium for 10 years, until 2032
We secured permission for over 2000 new and temporary patios
Liquor retailers can sell to holders of Special Event Permits
Capped third-party food delivery fees at 15 per cent
Secured over $200 million of direct financial support
We even got nightclubs re-opened with the creative use of Catering Partnership Agreements
Even after all that work, we still have much to do. It’s now time to refocus on our future.
While B.C.’s hospitality industry will continue to need substantial support, ABLE BC will be rebalancing our advocacy efforts on some long-standing policy priorities of liquor retailers as well. Things like improving distribution from the LDB, curtailing unfair competitive practices from BC Liquor Stores, and better leveraging your buying power with suppliers. As always, our goal is to protect your investments while helping you to grow your business and develop new revenue streams.
As we work to rebuild and recover, we need your help. On April 28, we will be reactivating our LRS and LP committees to ensure our priorities are in line with your needs. These committees will report directly to our Board of Directors and will directly affect our goals for the months ahead. The first meetings will be over zoom on April 28th. Should you wish to lend a hand, please email me directly at jeff@ablebc.ca.
It’s been a long and difficult road, and I cannot thank you enough for your hard work and steadfast support throughout this two-year crisis. I can’t wait to see you all—in-person!—in the coming months.
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.
ABLE BC 2022 Annual General Meeting Recording
Thank you to everyone who attended our AGM this morning. It was a great pleasure to see so many friendly faces!
We are delighted to announce the election of three new Directors:
Jessica Dolan (Ramada by Wyndham Penticton)
Mike McKee (JAK's liquor stores, various locations)
Owen Coomer (The Taphouse, Surrey)
Congratulations to Jessica, Mike, and Owen on joining ABLE BC's Board of Directors. To learn more about the Board, click here.
If you would like to catch up on the meeting, you can watch the recording here.
If you have any specific questions that aren’t addressed in the recording, please reach out to Ann (ann@ablebc.ca) or Jeff (jeff@ablebc.ca).
If you are interested in learning more about Digital Dine-In with PerkHero (will link to his flyer), please reach out to Justin Strange at justin@perhero.com.
The Quarterly Pour Seeking Members for Editorial Committee
The Quarterly Pour is the BC private liquor industry’s source of trends and leading-edge news. The publication is the official magazine of ABLE BC, distributed quarterly to every licensee in the province.
ABLE BC and EMC Publications are seeking volunteer members to join the editorial committee for The Quarterly Pour. This committee meets regularly to discuss the vision and direction of The Quarterly Pour and plan articles and ideas for upcoming issues.
We are seeking a diverse range of voices from both liquor primary and private retail members from across the province.
Editorial committee members will be responsible for:
• 1-hour quarterly conference calls
• Constructive feedback on current and past issues
• Article ideas covering a range of topics relevant to owners, managers, and staff of bars, pubs, and private liquor stores
If you are interested in joining the committee, please apply to Ann Brydle, Manager of Membership and Communication, at ann@ablebc.ca by Friday, March 11, 2022. Your application should include a brief letter explaining why you would like to join the editorial committee for The Quarterly Pour.
TESA’s Expiring Soon, Apply for a Permanent Patio NOW
If you are planning to install a patio this summer, you need to take urgent action now. TESA applications from last year are expiring soon and do not provide approval for patios this coming summer.
On June 15, 2021, the LCRB extended the deadline for currently approved Temporary Expanded Service Areas (TESAs) to expire on June 1, 2022.
This means that if you have not made the service area under your TESA permanent by applying for a permanent structural change (e.g., applying for a patio), your TESA will expire on June 1, 2022 and you will not be able to sell or serve liquor in the expanded space.
It’s very important to note that it can take up to 10 months to get your application approved. Licensees who have not yet applied are now at risk of their TESA expiring before they can get approval for a new outdoor patio or structural change.
You can find more information on how to apply via the LCRB’s website.
Please note, not all TESA authorizations will be viable permanent patios. Before you apply and pay the fee, it is your responsibility to work with your local government and authorities to make sure the TESA you want to make permanent complies with all local permits, guidelines, bylaws and requirements.
To apply you will need:
An updated floor plan that clearly shows the structural change
These plans generally require an occupancy load
If you are a Liquor Primary or Manufacturer licensee, your structural change application will be sent to your local government for their comments.
To apply as a Liquor Primary or Food Primary licensee:
Log in to the liquor and cannabis licensing portal with a BCeID
Go to the "Licences and Authorizations" dashboard and find the licence you want to change.
Select:
"New Outdoor Patio" for an outdoor TESA or
"Structural Change Application" for an indoor TESA
Complete the application.
You can find more information here.
If you have questions about your expiring TESA or applying for a permanent structural change, we encourage you to contact a liquor licensing consultant. Check out the ABLE BC Buyer’s Guide for recommended consultants.
Vancouver's Summer Patio Program Launched March 2nd
The wait is almost over for Vancouver summer patio operators and patrons: the City’s new Summer Patio Program is now accepting applications in advance of Vancouver’s busiest outdoor dining season.
Before applying, please review the 2022 Patio Information Guide here.
Apply at: vancouver.ca/patios
NEW – Summer Patio Program and Permit (April 1 to October 31)
The Summer Patio Program was approved by Vancouver Council in September 2021 and is an evolution of the Temporary Expedited Patio Program, which was introduced at the height of COVID-19 to support small businesses quickly adjust to health restrictions and offer safe outdoor dining options.
Permit length: April 1 to October 31 (7 months)
Patios must be removed by November 1, or applicants can apply for Year-Round permit
Permit processing time: streamlined review process, permit approved in weeks
Curbside patios and Large Sidewalk patios are eligible
Patios cannot extend in front of neighbouring businesses
Access ramps are required for Curbside patios
Decking is not permitted
Additional accessibility requirements apply for all patio types
Occupancy: allowances for additional seating are available, see below for more information
Architectural drawings are required (i.e. 2D line drawings, to scale, with accurate dimensions and labeling; professional seal not required)
Permit fees apply. Fees are based on pre-pandemic rates, with a standard annual inflation increase
Maximizing Outdoor Seating (Summer Patio Program Only)
Under the Summer Patio Program, eligible businesses may maximize outdoor seating in two ways:
by temporarily shifting up to 20% of their existing indoor seating to the summer patio space, and/or
by adding up to 12 seats in excess of the existing maximum permitted occupant load for the business, provided the business has a minimum of two existing public washrooms.
Year-Round Patios
The Year-Round Patio Program permits patios to operate from April 1 to March 31 (12 months). Fees do apply. Permit processing times are longer (~months) compared to the Summer Patio Program given that a full review and inspection is required. The City will begin accepting applications for the Year-Round Patio permit Wednesday March 2, 2022.
Resources for Applicants
For any further questions, please contact the City at street.activities@vancouver.ca