Urgent Update: BCGEU - September 22, 2025 |
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Dear ABLE BC Members and industry colleagues,
This morning (September 22), the BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) announced an escalation of strike action:
As of today, the BC LDB (Liquor Distribution Branch) Liquor and Cannabis warehouses and head office, along with five additional ministry worksites in Victoria and Vancouver, are on strike.
In total, more than 10,000 public service workers are now engaged in job action at 36 sites across the province, including 28 active picket lines. The BCGEU says escalations will continue throughout the week. A full list of existing picket line locations can be found here. Detailed updates from LDB Wholesale Operations and BC Cannabis Wholesale Operations are provided below. |
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Update from LDB Wholesale Operations (Liquor)
LDB Wholesale Operations has shared the following update with us:
Due to the current job action by the BC General Employees Union (BCGEU), the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) will temporarily close its Distribution Centres and Head Office. This closure includes the Wholesale Customer Centre locations in Vancouver and Victoria, all vendor supply chain related services, and other key cross-functional supports areas such as IT and Finance. This means, as of 9:30 am today and until further notice: -
LDB’s Liquor Distribution Centres (DCs) in Delta (DDC) and Kamloops (KDC) will not receive product, assemble, or ship orders.
- Appointments at the DCs are cancelled and once they reopen, please contact DDC or KDC to reschedule.
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The Liquor Wholesale Customer Centres in Vancouver and Victoria will be closed and phone calls and emails will not be answered.
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Web Store will be unavailable, and any orders that have not yet been prepared for shipment will be cancelled. Customers will be informed of the cancellation and are asked to resubmit their orders once LDB resumes operations.
- Orders submitted by email will not be entered and should be resubmitted once WCC reopens.
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Returns can be submitted but will not be processed until the LDB resumes operations.
- Customers will not be able to pick up orders at WCC Victoria or the Delta Distribution Centre.
The Wholesale Operations website has notices with specific details on what wholesale and hospitality customers can expect for the duration of job action at the DCs and Head Office. At this time, BCLIQUOR stores remain open and will continue to serve hospitality customers with in-store inventory.
We recognize the current job action may be concerning for customers, vendors and industry partners. We sincerely apologize for this disruption and for the impact to your business. Paused operations will resume once job action ends and LDB Wholesale Operations will make all efforts to return to normal service levels as quickly as possible.
The LDB has no expectation of any vendor, carrier or customer to cross a picket line. We will provide updates to industry as they become available and important notices will be posted on the LDB Wholesale Operations website.
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Update from BC Cannabis Wholesale Operations (Cannabis)
LDB Cannabis Wholesale Operations has shared the following update with us:
Due to current job action by the BC General Employees Union (BCGEU), the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) will temporarily close its cannabis distribution centre, Head Office, and Customer Care Centre (CCC).
This means until further notice: - Orders will not be accepted, assembled, or shipped.
- PAD may be delayed.
- Purchase orders will not be processed.
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Return requests (RMAs) will not be actioned.
- Updates to customer information cannot be made.
- Registration of new stores cannot be performed.
BC Cannabis Wholesale will not accept orders placed after September 21. Orders placed after September 21 will be cancelled. Orders placed prior to this time will be assembled and shipped once the job action ends and LDB operations resume.
The job action at the LDB Head Office also means that CCC is temporarily closed. Emails and tickets submitted will be monitored for emergency issues only, such as safety and health concerns.
We sincerely apologize for this disruption and impact on your business.
It is entirely up to the BCGEU what form the job action will take. We commit to providing updates as they become known. We commit to providing updates as they become known. Important notices will be posted here on the BC Cannabis Wholesale website. |
ABLE BC Advocacy
ABLE BC recognizes the serious disruption this escalation will cause for liquor and cannabis businesses across the province. When BCGEU strike action impacted distribution in 2022, our industry faced severe supply shortages, sales losses, and widespread operational uncertainty. We cannot afford to see history repeat itself.
ABLE BC's Bo Chen stated:
"This is disappointing. Despite industry's effort in communicating with the union on our shared concerns, it's unfortunate this is the start of a path that will hurt small businesses in BC, such as local restaurants, neighbourhood pubs, tourism, private liquor and cannabis stores. Regardless, ABLE BC and industry allies remain united and committed to advocating for the private sector". We are making it clear that prolonged disruption to liquor and cannabis distribution will have immediate and detrimental consequences for BC businesses, employees, and consumers alike.
To support members and coordinate a unified response, we are hosting members-only virtual townhalls for both Liquor and Cannabis: - Liquor Industry Townhall: Tuesday, September 23 at 1:00 pm PST
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Cannabis Industry Townhall: Tuesday, September 23 at 2:00 pm PST
A separate email will be sent with the invite and access link.
Not sure if you are a ABLE BC Member? Contact Manager of Membership, Jesse Sidhu (jesse@ablebc.ca)
For questions or concerns on media and advocacy, please reach out directly to Bo Chen (bo@ablebc.ca) |
Support our Advocacy Work: Join ABLE BC Today
In critical moments like these, ABLE BC’s advocacy is more important than ever. We are your voice at the table, fighting to protect your business and ensure government understands the urgent needs of our industry.
By joining ABLE BC, you gain more than member benefits like discounts, services, and resources. You become part of a united front that amplifies our industry’s collective strength. Together, we create impact where it matters most: with decision-makers in government.
For over 50 years, ABLE BC has secured business-friendly policy wins. But we can’t do this work without our members. As a non-profit, your membership fees directly fuel our ability to safeguard your business today and for the future.
Join ABLE BC and strengthen our industry's voice. |
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