Movie- house liquor laws need a retake, province says
Minister of Energy and Mines Rich Coleman said Monday that it doesn’t make sense that you can drink alcohol at a hockey game in British Columbia but not at a movie.
Coleman, who only recently regained responsibility for liquor in B. C., said the discrepancy will be considered in an upcoming review of provincial liquor regulations.
The minister’s comments were in response to a call Monday from the B. C. Civil Liberties Association ( BCCLA) for regulatory changes that would allow people aged 19 years and over to enjoy a drink at a cinema.
In a media statement, BCCLA president Robert Holmes said that prohibiting alcohol consumption in movie venues restricted to adults doesn’t make sense given that Victoria’s chief concern is the prospect of underage drinking.
Coleman said the BCCLA’S position is “a legitimate argument and so we’re going to try to solve that issue.”
The BCCLA was drawn into the debate because of recent criticisms of the liquor licensing rules by Vancouver’s Rio Theatre and the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Coleman, who was also minister in charge of liquor licensing under a previous B. C. Liberal government, said that he’s instructed liquor licensing officials to come up with changes.
Coleman said he wants a more holistic solution than the recent change allowing movie venues like the Rio Theatre to serve booze during live events but still screen movies at other times — without alcohol.
That change was applauded at the time by Rio Theatre owner Corinne Lea, who had been told she couldn’t show movies after being granted a liquor licence in January. Lea said Monday she hasn’t pushed for the right to serve alcohol during movies, but would welcome such a change.
“We just want to get back to being a multi- use venue. We want to show some movies that are all- ages, so at those movies we wouldn’t serve alcohol. But, in an ideal world, yes, we would like the option to serve alcohol during adult movies.”
BCCLA executive- director David Eby said his group is pleased that Coleman is considering changes. “I think that’s great news and I hope that people can celebrate with a glass of wine at a movie theatre.”
Eby dismissed an earlier comment from Coleman about municipalities being opposed to serving alcohol in cinemas because of public safety concerns.