Liquor licence renewal fees raised and training program fees updated across B.C.

Plain-language summary · AI-assisted · not legal advice

Licence renewal fees for most B.C. liquor licence types — including liquor primary, food primary, catering, retail stores, distilleries, breweries, wineries, and agents — have been revised upward under a new fee schedule. The fee for a given licence is based on the type of operation and, for many licences, the volume of liquor purchases or sales, with tiered amounts now running from $325 to $2,860 for most hospitality and retail licences. A transitional rule protects licensees whose licence expires before the new schedule took effect: those renewals are billed at the old rates. In a separate change taking effect slightly later, fees for the Serving It Right (SIR) and Special Event Server (SES) responsible-service training programs have also been updated — online SIR is now $40 per person, print SIR is $45, and SES is $25. Affected operators should confirm which fee tier applies to them when submitting renewal applications and budget accordingly for upcoming staff training.

Who this affects: liquor primary licence holders · food primary licence holders · catering licence holders · licensee retail store and wine store operators · distillery, brewery and winery operators · employers requiring SIR or SES training for staff