Tougher rules urged for high-alcohol-serving restaurants

Downtown restaurants that consistently serve more liquor than food should be required by the province to obtain a liquor primary or a split liquor licence, say Victoria councillors.

The city also is calling on the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch to increase the number of liquor inspectors in Greater Victoria.

The recommendations stem from the Mayor’s Late Night Task Force advisory committee.

“Part of it is fairness, the issue of cost and the ease of getting a licence,” said Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe.

Changes to provincial policy made by the previous Liberal government have created a system that allows food-primary licensees to operate primarily as a restaurant during the day, but then switching to a liquor primary in the evening when they serve much more alcohol and little in the way of food.

The committee notes that foodprimary licensees are not required to pay the higher provincial and municipal fees that liquor primaries do, nor are they subject to local government review.

For example, a 500-seat bar would pay $3,800 annual fee to the city while a food-primary restaurant would pay a flat $100.

But there are other considerations, Thornton-Joe said.

“There are certain things you have to have as a liquor primary [licence] whether it’s making sure you have the right kind of security and the right kind of staff at the door,” she said.

Many liquor primary licensees also participate in the Bar Watch program in an effort not to serve patrons with histories of bad behaviour. Food primary licensees do not, Thornton-Joe said

“It’s something we need to start looking at. If people are banned from a club or don’t want to go through Bar Watch, we also don’t want them to just go to food primaries where the same concerns may still exist,” she said.

“More assertive” use of the dual licensing system would level the playing field and assist in covering higher municipal costs associated with liquor establishments, the advisory committee says.

A common observation by the task force during late night tours is that there are several food primary licensees who serve very little food later in the evening.

At the committee’s recommendation, councillors also agreed to consider in the 2019 budget installing a new sidewalk washroom in the 900-block of Douglas Street; writing to B.C. Transit in support of extended late night transit service; development of a municipal alcohol policy with the support of a B.C. Health Communities Grant; and have the committee review working on notifications of licence applications.

The Mayor’s Late Night Task Force was established in 2009. Comprised of the mayor, Thornton-Joe and the police chief, its mandate was to review late night issues in the downtown area and make recommendations for improvement.

The task force advisory committee with representatives from the hospitality and hotel sectors, police, the Downtown Victoria Business Association, Liquor Control and Licensing and downtown residents meets quarterly.

Thornton-Joe said there’s been a number of improvements in the last decade including the addition of a second liquor inspector for the South Island and some late-night transit, but more can be done.

“We need to make [downtown] vibrant while addressing liveability issues,” she said.