Are Private Liquor Stores in British Columbia at a Disadvantage?

Find out how recent changes to the Alcoholic Beverage Control and Licensing Act in British Columbia have impacted private liquor stores.

Are Private Liquor Stores in British Columbia at a Disadvantage?

Since 1988, the Government of British Columbia has allowed private retail liquor stores to operate in the province. On April 1st, a series of gradual changes to the Alcoholic Beverage Control and Licensing Act came into effect, which has caused some concern among private liquor store owners. For example, government stores can now match the hours of private stores, meaning they can open on Sundays and holidays and can sell cold beer and wine. This has caused some worry among private retailers, as they feel that the government is competing against them and that this could hurt their sales.

Darryl Lamb, brand manager of Legacy Liquor Store, says that sales at his store have not yet been affected by the new changes in the beverage law. However, he agrees that they unfairly favor the government. Unlike government retailers, private liquor retailers are still unable to sell their products to restaurants. Both Guignard and Lamb agree that they accept greater competition within the industry, but only if everyone follows the same rules.

Justice Minister Suzanne Anton said Tuesday that it is too early to speculate what impact the April 1 changes will have on the overall picture of alcoholic beverages in the province. Anton also said that the kilometer rule is being applied, which means that government and private full-service liquor stores must be at least one kilometer apart to protect private retailers. The province has said it will review any request for a policy change once a year. Private liquor stores are still banned from doing many of the things that public liquor stores have, he said.

Cooper Lavoie
Cooper Lavoie

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