British Columbia has become the first province in Canada to tie its minimum wage to the rate of inflation. B.C. is pushing its minimum wage, already the highest among Canada’s 10 provinces, up from $15.20 to $15.65 an hour starting June 1. The increase is the first to be tied to B.C.’s annual inflation rate, […]
British Columbia has removed the order requiring masks to be worn in all indoor public spaces as of March 11, and the province says that the proof of COVID-19 vaccination requirement is likely to be lifted on April 8. However, individual businesses will still be allowed to require masks if the owner decides they would like to, and the […]
British Columbia announced on August 23 that it is following Quebec by becoming the second province to require proof of vaccination for entry to establishments including restaurants. The B.C. vaccine passport will come into effect on September 13, two weeks after Quebec’s goes live. Unlike Quebec’s, the B.C. vaccine passport will only mandate that patrons […]
B.C. restaurants are taking local wild salmon off of their menus in response to declining populations. The move comes shortly after the decision by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in June to close 79 commercial Pacific-salmon fisheries in B.C. and the Yukon. That represents 60 per cent of commercial salmon fisheries in the two provinces. The […]
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 […]
Pandemic-prompted temporary B.C. patios could be welcome for the long term at the province’s restaurants and pubs. As a first step to promised new rules, the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Board (LCRB) will extend current permission for British Columbia’s temporary expanded service areas (TESAs) until June 1, 2022, and continue to accept applications for […]
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 […]
Restaurants in British Columbia can reopen for BC indoor dining on May 25, when the province’s “circuit-breaker” measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 expire. Indoor dining in the province had been closed since March 29. The provincial update on COVID-19 recovery on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that from May 25, people can eat indoors with […]
Workers in British Columbia will soon have access to a paid sick leave program that will support them to stay home when they are sick during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation introduced on May 11 will also include permanent paid illness leave. Amendments to the Employment Standards Act will bring in three days […]
British Columbia is now accepting applications for the B.C. circuit-breaker relief grant for foodservice and hospitality businesses hurt by the recent COVID-19 restrictions. Eligible businesses include restaurants, pubs, bars, coffee shops, cafes, cafeterias, lounges, nightclubs, breweries, wineries, and tasting rooms. The grant is repurposing $50 million from the province’s $345 million Business Recovery Grant to […]
