Councillor moves to reduce Liquor Store red tape in time for Olympics

NPA Councillor Suzanne Anton will bring a motion to Council later today to change City liquor store regulations to allow the sale of spirits in new stores in their first year.  As it stands, all new private liquor stores may only sell beer and wine during their first year of operation.

 “It’s hard on small store owners to wait a year before they can sell a full product line,” Councillor Anton says. “These changes to the regulations will allow people to shop in their neighbourhoods and will help the owners of the stores run a viable business.

Anton says no store has been turned down in its one year application to sell spirits, demonstrating that the one year waiting period is unnecessary for city oversight of liquor store operations.

“This is just another layer of regulation making it harder for small businesses to succeed in Vancouver” adds Anton. “Let’s get rid of it.”