It would be greatly appreciated if you would please re-share this to other BC residents who you think would be interested in the purpose and the benefits of this petition. :)

The Purpose:

We would like the British Columbia Provincial Government ("BC") to extend this "beer-to-go", "wine-to-go" and "cocktail-kit-to-go" ("to go") temporary program as a trial until January 02 2021. The current system ends July 15 2020 and we need a renewal and extension for restaurants with this program until January 02 2021.

The Benefits:

- BC residents should be allowed greater access to alcohol products. The cost of ordering specialty food and specialty drinks is outside the scope of someone who would have alcohol dependency issues, so this would not negatively impact health concerns if food is required to be ordered for beverages.

- BC Restaurants, Distilleries, Wineries, Cideries, Breweries and Agents have greater confidence to invest in sustaining their business during COVID-19 for the year of 2020.

- BC Seniors, those with compromised immune systems, and those who are continuing to self-isolate have greater access to liquor products and subsequently support BC businesses.

- Restaurants have a greater revenue source to tap into it. Restaurants are the backbone to British Columbia's hospitality industry and tourism industry and are one of British Columbia's largest private sector employers.

- BC Government continues to have an additional avenue for revenue from the sale of food and beverage products.

- BC Restaurants' primary employment age group is within twenty years old and forty years old and subsequently fulfilling this purpose gives BC businesses the confidence to employ people.

- This encourages social distancing while disabling binge drinking.

- Enabling BC businesses to be setup for a [possible] second wave of COVID-19. Forethought spares afterthought.

The Reason:

The Provincial Government of British Columbia relaxed liquor rules at the end of March in an effort to help licensed restaurants provide alcohol along with their meals.

British Columbia's residents deserve greater access to beer, wine and liquor products from their favourite restaurants, on an extended temporary trial, as part of the provincial government's Restart BC Plan. We would like the BC Provincial Government to extend this "beer-to-go", "wine-to-go" and "cocktail-kit-to-go"  program until January 02 2021.

The January 02 2021 date allows restaurants to continue this service on New Years Eve (because, hey, who doesn't think anything worse will happen by then..) where it is expected that more people will likely want to visit their local restaurant and food-driven tap-house and others will be staying home to avoid people and the greater chance of COVID-19.

This is a ridiculously stressful time for many people, especially for those individuals that work in the service and tourism industry. The reason for this fresh, new expiry date recommendation (January 02 2021) is based on the fear of a second wave of COVID-19 in British Columbia in the Fall/Winter of this year, as well as allow businesses the time and flexibility to continue to operate as consumer spending is uncertain. BC Restaurants, BC Liquor and Beer manufacturers and agents need a confident source of revenue in this turbulent time and the comfort in knowing that they can invest into this confidently to continue selling their amazing products.

With food being a requirement for restaurants to sell alcohol products to-go, restaurants could have a greater revenue and operating budget with quicker returns and they could have confidence to move beer and food products before it's expiry date. Allowing restaurants to move more of their great food and beverages is good for the provincial economy and consumer culture. The cost of ordering specialty food and specialty drinks is outside the scope of someone who would have alcohol dependency issues, so this would not negatively impact health concerns if food is required to be ordered for beverages.

The loss of "beer-to-go", "wine-to-go" and "cocktail-kit-to-go" with meals would be very bad for restaurants and consumers alike, amidst the 2020 pandemic. We can't deter restaurants from resuming next-to-normal staffing levels and continuing to have this to-go option would greatly decease the amount of people that are dependent on the British Columbia and Canadian Federal government's income and rental assistance programs.

Fun Contributing Facts:

The age range of those in the hospitality industry, between twenty years old and forty year old, reflects 25% of the BC population (Source Stats Can, Census Profile, 2016 Census).

The age range of those in the "older age group" (sorry mom), over the age of 65, reflects 38% of the BC population (Source Stats Can, Census Profile, 2016 Census). This age group, in addition to those unaccounted for with pre-existing medical conditions, are at a higher risk of having complications from COVID-19 and are staying home and ordering delivery.

Monthly Domestic Beer Sales in British Columbia, based on YTD data, show that in March 2020 there was a -2.8% change in domestic beer hL (hectolitre) volume and in April 2020 there was a -5.5% change in domestic beer hL volume, despite the fact that it was reported that there was a 40% increase of liquor in British Columbia in March 2020. 

"Monthly Domestic Beer Sales in British Columbia" Source: https://industry.beercanada.com/industry-statistics

"40% increase" Source: https://bc.ctvnews.ca/liquor-sales-up-40-in-b-c-during-covid-19-scare-1.4870580

In addition to that statistic, March 2020 was reported to have a -4.1% change in import beer hL sales and April 2020 was reported to have a -14.3% change in import beer hL sales.

Related News:

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/will-restaurants-be-allowed-to-offer-alcohol-for-take-out-and-delivery-after-pandemic-1.4932299

https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/03/22/liquor-delivery-store-hours-covid-19/

https://globalnews.ca/news/6715426/coronavirus-bc-restaurants-liquor-delivery/

https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/rules-changed-to-allow-b-c-restaurants-to-deliver-alcohol-with-meals-1.24103637

Photo Credit:

Barry R., owner of Victoria's very amazing Smiths Pub.