COVID-19 Update: July 8, 2021

Dear ABLE BC Members and Industry Colleagues,

Here’s what you’ll find inside today’s update:

  • New survey: Hospitality Industry Outlook

  • Restart Plan Step 3: Frequently Asked Questions

  • Step 3 protocols for nightclubs

  • Update to Gatherings and Events public order

  • Communicable disease prevention plan

  • New signage available: masks recommended indoors

  • Food and liquor primaries can sell cocktails to-go

  • Call to Action: Help Canada’s hardest hit businesses survive

  • Applications open: Canada Recovery Hiring Program

  • Webinar on July 12: Canada Recovery Hiring Program Q&A Session

  • Liquor Store Hours Permanently Extended

  • Extension to Temporary Expanded Service Areas Authorization: June 1, 2022

Find all past COVID-19 updates here.

New survey: Hospitality Industry Outlook

Every quarter, ABLE BC is releasing an Industry Outlook survey to better understand how your hospitality businesses are recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Take the survey. Note: a separate survey for private liquor retailers will be released shortly.

Tell us what your business needs to survive and thrive this summer. The information you provide will support our ongoing engagement with all levels of government.

If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, please contact ABLE BC: info@ablebc.ca. 

Note: individual results and any business information shared will be kept confidential. Results will be presented as aggregate data.

Restart Plan: Step 3 Frequently Asked Questions

As you know, British Columbia officially entered Step 3 of the Restart Plan on July 1.

For more information on Step 3 please read:

We’ve received a number of questions about step 3:

Is dancing allowed outdoors at licensed premises?

No. Dancing is only allowed outdoors at a food and liquor serving premises if you are hosting an event and adhering to all conditions in the Gatherings and Events public order.

Dancing is not allowed indoors at food and liquor serving premises.

Dancing is also prohibited at indoors events.

Are there any capacity limits for food and liquor serving premises? 

No, there are only capacity limits if you are hosting an event.

Capacity for outdoors events: No more than 5,000 persons, or 50% of the seated operating capacity of a place, excluding event staff, whichever number is greater, are present.

Capacity for indoors events: No more than 50 persons, or 50% of the seated operating capacity of the place, excluding event staff, whichever number is greater, are present.

Am I allowed to host a tasting at my liquor store?

Yes. We have confirmed with the PHO that you are allowed to resume in-store tastings.

Do I still have to keep patrons physically distanced or keep my physical barriers up?

No, the requirements for physical distancing and physical barriers have been removed from the public order.

However, the provincial health officer has issued a statement recommending that employers maintain some existing COVID-19 protocols that do not negatively impact business operations, so if employers have existing barriers in place that are not interfering with operations, they are advised to keep these in place for the time being.

Do my patrons or staff have to wear mask indoors?

The mask mandate has been removed. However, patrons and staff are recommended to wear a mask indoors if they are over the age of 12 and not fully vaccinated. You are fully vaccinated two weeks after your second dose.
Employers may choose to implement mask policies for workers and/or members of the public that suit the circumstances of their individual workplace.

What constitutes an event? 

We understand there has been some confusion around what constitutes an event, as the definition of ‘event’ has been removed from the new Gatherings and Events public order.

It is our understanding that showing a UFC fight, having live music, or doing something that was a regular part of your business prior to COVID, in your licensed premises is not an event.

If you have any other questions please contact ABLE BC: info@ablebc.ca.

Step 3 protocols for nightclubs

Prior to the start of Step 3, ABLE BC worked behind the scenes with the Provincial Health Officer and her team to ensure the public order for Food and Liquor Serving Premises included nightclubs and additional protocols were not implemented.

A reminder to operators: patrons must remain seated and there is no dancing or socializing between tables currently allowed. You must ensure you have the necessary protocols in place to keep everyone seated, as inspectors are expecting you to enforce these rules. 

We know how difficult this is to enforce with some customers. However, to be clear: failing to follow these rules risks exposing you to significant fines, and could result in all nightclubs being ordered closed again. We strongly recommend evicting any patrons who are unwilling to follow the rules.

While we expect the ‘no dancing’ rule to be revisited in the coming weeks, it is imperative these protocols are adhered to for the time being.

Update to Gatherings and Events public order

The Gatherings and Events public order was updated on July 7, 2021 to clarify the types of events held in a tent:

  • An event held in a tent with one or more sides is an inside event

  • An event held in a tent without any sides is an outside event

For more information, please read the public order.

Communicable disease prevention plan

Beginning with Step 3 (July 1), employers are no longer required to maintain a COVID-19 Safety Plan, and instead may transition to a communicable disease prevention plan.

Download this new resource from WorkSafeBC and create your own communicable disease plan.

This guide provides information for employers to develop a communicable disease plan. An effective plan includes general measures to reduce the risk of communicable disease and additional measures for when there’s an elevated risk of communicable disease. It is not meant for employers who have an existing exposure control plan related to communicable disease, such as health care employers.

Please click here for full WorkSafeBC guidance on Step 3.

Communicable disease prevention plan

Beginning with Step 3 (July 1), employers are no longer required to maintain a COVID-19 Safety Plan, and instead may transition to a communicable disease prevention plan.

Download this new resource from WorkSafeBC and create your own communicable disease plan.

This guide provides information for employers to develop a communicable disease plan. An effective plan includes general measures to reduce the risk of communicable disease and additional measures for when there’s an elevated risk of communicable disease. It is not meant for employers who have an existing exposure control plan related to communicable disease, such as health care employers.

Please click here for full WorkSafeBC guidance on Step 3.

New signage available: masks recommended indoors

New signage is available in ABLE BC’s online store indicating that masks are recommended for people over the age of 12 and not yet fully vaccinated:

View all COVD-19 signage here. If you have a signage request, please email: danielle@ablebc.ca.

Food and liquor primaries can sell cocktails to-go

This morning, the provincial government announced food primaries and liquor primaries can now package and sell single-serving, pre-mixed drinks for takeout with the purchase of a meal. The move builds on a change that permanently authorized these licensees to sell and deliver packaged liquor products alongside the purchase of a meal for off-site consumption.

The change, which responds to industry feedback from the Business Technical Advisory Panel, will provide an extra revenue stream for the licensees and give consumers more options. Ontario and Alberta have permitted cocktails-to-go since December 2020 and have not noted any public safety issues.

The Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch will be consulting with industry shortly on whether to expand the authorization to include single servings of beverages that are not mixed, such as neat spirits, wine, draught beer and other beverages available on tap.

Pre-mixed single servings for takeout will need to be packaged in a way that can be transported lawfully. A label must state the type and amount of alcohol the drink contains and list all other ingredients.

For specifics regarding non-liquor ingredients, packaging requirements, and the hours in which sale and delivery of liquor for off-site consumption are permitted, see the terms and conditions handbook for your licence type.

Only adults who have completed Serving It Right training will be allowed to deliver cocktails with food. The recipient will need to be prepared to present two pieces of identification proving they are of legal drinking age.

These specifications are in response to industry concerns. They will help ensure Liquor and Food Primaries stay focused on their traditional role of selling individual beverages, instead of being encouraged to sell full bottles of spirits.

For more information:

Call to Action: Help Canada’s hardest hit businesses survive

Canada’s hardest hit businesses – including the tourism, accommodations, and hospitality industries – need to know that government will continue to provide wage and fixed cost support until necessary public health restrictions are lifted and normal travel and events can resume.  

The Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses is asking the government to roll out sector-specific support at the earliest opportunity for Canada’s hardest hit businesses to ensure their survival into the fall and winter.

Call to Action

  1. Send a letter to your local Member of Parliament in less than 1 minute. Send a letter at HardestHit.ca.

  2. Meet with your local Member of Parliament and tell them your business and employees will not survive without continued support. Find your local MP here.

  3. Spread the word on social media. Pre-written social media can be found at HardestHit.ca.

Applications Open: Canada Recovery Hiring Program

Applications are now open for the Canada Recovery Hiring Program.
As a Canadian employer who continues to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible to apply for one of the two subsidies to cover part of your employee wages.

The Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) support wages you pay through different phases of your economic recovery. Each claim period, eligible employers can claim either CRHP or CEWS, whichever is higher.

Next deadline for CHRP: December 30, 2021 (last day to apply for claim period 17).

Next period opens for CHRP: August 1, 2021 (first day you can apply for claim period 18).

For more information:

Webinar on July 12: Canada Recovery Hiring Program Q&A Session

With the recently announced Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP), hard-hit businesses will be able to hire the workers they need to recover as local economies reopen. The CRHP supports payroll as businesses grow, whether it’s related to hiring staff, increasing shifts, or increasing overall pay. 

Join Restaurants Canada for a free webinar on Monday, July 12, 2021 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET about the CRHP.

This interactive question and answer session with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will provide more information about this program and explain the benefits of this program.

The webinar will provide insights into:

  • How CRHP can help eligible businesses hire more workers or increase workers’ hours or wages

  • How CRHP differs from the CEWS program and how they overlap

  • How eligible employers can apply for either of the two subsidies

  • How payment periods are structured, and how the CRHP is calculated

Register now for the webinar. A recording will be provided to everyone registered.

Liquor Store Hours Permanently Extended

Liquor retailers authorized to open earlier for the safety and convenience of their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic now have the option to maintain their expanded morning hours.

In April 2020, government temporarily authorized liquor retailers, such as wine stores and private liquor stores, to open as early as 7 am, to facilitate physical distancing for seniors and those who are immunocompromised.

This temporary authorization was originally set to expire on June 30, 2021.
However, in response to industry feedback and to ensure businesses can continue to support their customers – particularly seniors and those who live in rural areas, who have benefited from the convenience of extended retail hours – the Province is permanently allowing liquor retailers throughout BC to operate between 7:00 am and 11:00 pm daily, if they choose to do so.

This permanent change relates to in-store shopping only. Liquor delivery may occur only after 9:00 am and the authorization for unlicensed third-party delivery services to deliver liquor at 7:00 am expires on June 30, 2021.

These changes do not override any additional requirements or limitations placed on hours of liquor service by local governments or First Nations.

For more information, please read Policy Directive 21-13.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact ABLE BC: info@ablebc.ca.

Extension to Temporary Expanded Service Areas Authorization: June 1, 2022

More than 2,000 temporary patios authorized to serve liquor during the COVID-19 pandemic can apply to become permanent under amended provincial liquor regulations.

This includes prospective patios that are supported by local governments and meet local bylaws.

Temporary expanded service areas (TESAs) have allowed thousands of restaurants and pubs to serve more patrons while complying with health orders, particularly those related to physical distancing and indoor dining.

To ensure existing and prospective TESAs can operate without interruption as they transition toward becoming a permanent part of BC’s hospitality landscape, the Province is:

  • Extending the authorization of existing TESAs for an additional seven months, through to June 1, 2022

  • Continuing to accept applications for new TESAs up to October 31, 2021

The changes will give businesses time to apply to make their current TESA authorizations permanent and prevent the risk of disrupting TESA use during the application process. 

Local governments and Indigenous Nations will have until July 30, 2021, to raise concerns about existing TESA authorizations in their jurisdiction before those temporary authorizations are extended by six months by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB). To all licensees with current TESA authorizations and whose local governments have not raised concerns, LCRB will issue authorization letters extending the expiry date of their temporary authorization to June 1, 2022.

Extended TESA authorizations must remain in compliance with local bylaws and all other requirements. Without a new authorization letter, existing TESAs will expire October 31, 2021.

For more information:

Ann Brydle