BC renews moratorium on retail liquor stores
The provincial government has renewed the moratorium it’s had on liquor licensee retail stores since the 1990s. The move means no new stores will be approved for another decade. Existing LRS licences may still be transferred with approval of the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. The province says a moratorium gives certainty to current retailers and is in line with public health advocacy.
“While many British Columbians enjoy alcohol and use it in a low-risk way, when it’s more readily accessible, more injuries, incidents of alcohol poisoning, cancers and other diseases inevitably follow,” Tim Stockwell, a scientist with the University of Victoria‘s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research said in a news release. “Maintaining B.C.’s liquor retailer moratorium is a vital mitigation strategy that furthers public health and safety.”
“While many British Columbians enjoy alcohol and use it in a low-risk way, when it’s more readily accessible, more injuries, incidents of alcohol poisoning, cancers and other diseases inevitably follow,” Tim Stockwell, a scientist with the University of Victoria‘s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research said in a news release. “Maintaining B.C.’s liquor retailer moratorium is a vital mitigation strategy that furthers public health and safety.”
