City sets rules for liquor in grocery stores
Vancouver city council has laid out the rules for the sale of liquor in grocery stores, through bylaw amendments.
That means qualifying grocery stores could soon be able to sell beer, wine and spirits in their store via a store-within-a-store model, which is a separated area for booze with its own cashier.
The city says it will start accepting applications on May 14.
“Over the last few years, we have undertaken extensive public and stakeholder consultation regarding updates to the city’s liquor policies,” Kaye Krishna, the city’s general manager of development, buildings and licensing, said in a statement Wednesday.
“These amendments not only balance the public’s request, but also bring our liquor bylaws in line with provincial regulations.”
Last year, Vancouver city council voted in favour of reforming the city’s liquor rules, which included extended hours for breweries and distilleries, more outdoor patio space and selling wine in grocery stores.
Council voted against the option of allowing only B.C. VQA wines to be stocked on grocery store shelves and decided to go with the store-instore model. But to do that, council needed to amend the bylaw to include the new use of retail space.
The Vancouver stores will have to comply with B.C. laws, which state grocery stores must be at least 10,000 square feet, and at least one kilometre from another liquor store. Grocery stores can work around that rule by buying out the nearest liquor store or by entering into a joint venture with the licence holder.
B.C.’s modernized liquor laws, which include allowing bars to offer a happy hour with discounted drinks and selling wine in grocery stores, came into effect last year.
So far, consumers can buy 100 per cent B.C. wine on grocery store shelves in 14 locations around the province.
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