B.C. Solicitor General Shirley Bond told Business in Vancouver Tuesday her government is “considering” changing the Liquor Control and Licensing Act to allow caterers to buy and deliver wine on behalf of clients.
Currently, caterers must get clients to buy their own beer, wine or spirits and deliver it to a venue, then return any excess product to the liquor store.
Several caterers told BIV in the lead-up to the busy December catering season last year that they had lost business because of what they considered an arbitrary and archaic policy. (See “B.C. liquor policy hurting event hosts and caterers” – issue 1102; December 7-13, 2010.)
“We have lost some catering jobs because of it,” Culinary Capers Catering owner Debra Lykkemark told BIV at the time.
“Clients would just as soon go to a hotel or a restaurant or some place where they don’t have to deal with the hassle of picking up liquor.”
“It’s legal in B.C. to operate a liquor delivery business,” Bond said. “However, for a business to qualify as a delivery service under the act, liquor delivery must be the primary focus of the business.”
Caterers are not allowed to deliver liquor because it’s not a primary business. They say they are unfairly targeted, however, because florists are allowed to deliver wine in gift baskets.
“The Liquor Control and Licensing Branch is aware of calls for changes with respect to allowing catering companies to transport liquor to events,” Bond said. “Government is considering it.”
Glen Korstrom
@GlenKorstrom