2022 Raise the Bar report reveals uneven liquor policy landscape

Restaurants Canada’s fourth Raise the Bar report has graded each province on how industry-friendly their liquor policy landscape is for bars and restaurants. It found that Alberta scored the highest, while Manitoba and Saskatchewan were among the worst. This year’s special COVID-19 edition of the report highlights how liquor laws and regulations are helping or […]

The changing face of alcohol sales

By Travis Traini Alcohol beverage sales are changing to capture a new generation of consumers. Years before the pandemic, the foodservice industry had been experiencing a decline in the sale of alcoholic beverages for young customers aged 18 to 24 years, making up seven per cent of all alcohol orders at drinking places in 2020 […]

Is it time to bet on the allure of the bar?

A recent State of On-Premise webinar from Technomic highlighted how restaurants are refining their operations at the bar to boost traffic and sales as part of their pandemic recovery. In many areas, both casual dining and full-service restaurants are seeing a slow return to high volumes, and Techonomic explained how some operators are concentrating on […]

Ontario cuts wholesale alcohol prices for restaurants

Starting January 1, Ontario has cut LCBO wholesale alcohol prices for bars and restaurants and is enabling curbside pickup of beer, wine, and cider from licensed grocery stores, as well as freezing the basic beer tax rate. A government announcement says the measure intends to support licensed bars, restaurants, and other businesses by saving them […]

Beer Canada calls for cut to draught beer duty to aid restaurants

Beer Canada is calling on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance to implement targeted support measures to help save local restaurants as part of its 2022 pre-budget consultations. In particular, the organization is advocating for a 50-per-cent tax cut on draught beer sold to licensed bars and restaurants. “A 50-per-cent tax cut on […]

B.C. liquor stores see hours permanently extended

B.C. liquor stores are getting more flexibility in their operations on a permanent basis. Liquor retailers in the province had been authorized to open earlier for the safety and convenience of their customers during the COVID-19 pandemic back in April 2020. In April 2020, the government temporarily authorized retailers including wine stores and private liquor […]

B.C. restaurants can serve liquor later as banquet halls reopen

Effective Tuesday, June 15, British Columbia moved into Step 2 of its reopening process, meaning that B.C. restaurants can now serve liquor until midnight. Indoor dining in B.C. restaurants reopened on May 25 after two months closed as Step 1 of the targeted relaunch plan began. Under those terms, restaurants could serve liquor until 10 […]

Auditor General critical of Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation

A report by Nova Scotia’s Auditor General has criticized the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC), finding that it “doesn’t have clear policies and procedures in place regarding what products it sells and promotes, how to price its merchandise, and where to display it in stores.” The report was the first performance audit report of the […]

B.C. wholesale alcohol pricing measure made permanent

British Columbia has announced that B.C. wholesale alcohol pricing will become a permanent measure, allowing restaurants, bars, and tourism operators to buy liquor at lower prices. A temporary change to allow for B.C. wholesale alcohol pricing was enacted in June 2020 in a bid to help revive a struggling industry that has been hit devastatingly […]

Drink trends to watch in Canada in 2021

New trends emerged across almost every industry in 2020 as consumers and businesses adjusted to the realities of a global pandemic. Drink trends within the beverage alcohol industry were no exception. Just like in fashion, drink trends regularly come and go as the seasons change and the calendar flips to a new year. This year, […]