B.C. bars and restaurants gain access to wholesale liquor pricing

Vancouver – Restaurants Canada is applauding the B.C. government for introducing wholesale liquor pricing for licensed establishments as an important step to help bars and restaurants recover from COVID-19.

“On behalf of the province’s licensed establishments, I want to thank Premier Horgan and Attorney General Eby in particular for their leadership in making wholesale pricing a reality for bars and restaurants,” said Mark von Schellwitz, Restaurants Canada vice-president for Western Canada, in a news release. “This comes at a much needed time as licensed restaurants are reopening under challenging restrictions that make it difficult to just break even. The wholesale liquor pricing announced lowers the cost for all licensees and can make the difference for whether an establishment can remain viable in these challenging times.”

Wholesale liquor pricing for bars and restaurants has long been the number 1 liquor policy recommendation from Restaurants Canada. This reform was identified in the national association’s 2017 and 2019 Raise the Bar reports as one that would go a long way to improve operations for licensed establishments.