Good News (and not so Good News) from LCRB

Recently LCRB provided a ‘Bulletin’ to all their licensees in BC providing the following information (summarized here):

Service improvements you can expect

Over the coming fiscal year 26/27, liquor licence renewal fees will fund new service improvements: Faster licensing processes, and more clear timelines They also promise practical tools that make it easier for licensees to stay compliant.

Streamlined Licensing and Stronger Compliance Through Digital Innovation

A faster, more clear, online licensing portal with built-in-checks to catch incomplete or missing documents, application status indicators, and improved accessibility and performance.

Improved tools for local governments to review licence applications — helping them make licensing application decisions more quickly.

Practical compliance tools that make it easier to stay compliant and avoid common high-risk issues such as service to minors and certification gaps including:

• • • AI support built directly into the licensing portal to quickly answer general regulatory questions and help licensees understand due diligence in day-to-day operations.
    • A mobile-friendly digital Serving It Right credential for secure, on-phone proof during inspections — eliminating the need for paper records.

IMPORTANT: A Licensee’s key defence against LCRB Enforcement Action (and perhaps even legal action), is normally ‘Due Diligence’

The key to ‘Due Diligence’ is not only practicing it, but also establishing a system that evidences that a Licensee has  regularly done so.

This is something that we can support all classes of licensees in doing – It is an inexpensive service, that can save thousands in financial penalties, and even more in protecting – In our experience, when LCRB offer ‘practical tools that make it easier for licensees to stay compliant’; they will absolutely check to verify that licensees are using them, and putting them in to practice. We offer dedicated presentations in how licensees and their staff, can avoid the pitfalls of non compliance; and routinely practice ‘Due Diligence’.

(Please feel free to reach out for a free initial consultation on how this may support and protect your licensed business.)

LCRB are also promising : Transparent Service Standards and Clearer Licensing Timelines

Weekly public updates on our website showing which application dates are currently under review for Food Primary, Liquor Primary, Manufacturing, Cannabis Retail Store, Producer Retail Store, and Cannabis Marketing licences.

• • • Reporting to include additional licence types as systems and data improve.

Defined service standards that tell you how quickly your application will be checked and assigned for review.

• • • Applications requiring an occupant load stamp receive a completeness decision within 5 business days of receipt.
    • Complete Food Primary applications (with occupant load stamp) assigned to a case manager within 10 business days of receipt (compared to an average of 32 business days in 2025).
    • Complete Liquor Primary, Manufacturer, and change applications assigned to an analyst within 20 business days of receipt (compared to an average of 60 business days in 2025).
    • Temporary change applications with local government approval are processed within 5 business days of receipt — supporting planning certainty for special events, including FIFA.
    • Eliminated application backlog so applications move to review faster, and licensing timelines improve.

 All of the above are good news – We would all love to see delays in licensing that negatively impact so many businesses removed.

Also, any improvement to both the user friendliness of the LCRB On Line Portal, are to be welcomed.

The downside, is as with all system improvements, it is ultimately the licensee, their staff, and customers that have to pay for it:

What’s changing and when-

To support these LCRB improvements and to maintain ‘timely licensing operations’, annual liquor licence renewal fees will increase effective May 1, 2026. Most renewal fees are based on how much liquor a business purchases or produces each year.

Fee impacts for hospitality (purchased-based) licensees by tier:

• Nearly half of all licensees are in the lowest fee tier, where the increase is approximately $75 annually
• Middle-tier licensees will see an annual increase of approximately $420
• Highest-tier licensees will see an annual increase of approximately $660

Manufacturer licence renewal fees are based on production volume, meaning increases vary depending on production size, with larger producers seeing higher increases under the updated fee structure.

In addition, effective May 1, 2026, a $5 increase is also being applied to the Serving It Right and Special Event Server training programs. This change will help sustain program delivery through service providers and enable necessary program enhancements.

What’s not changing

This update applies only to renewal fees. No other fee categories are changing, and this does not introduce an annual or automatic fee increase model.

Licensing processes and renewal timelines are not changing.

Apologies for the lengthy post, but we feel it is important that the full details of the improvements LCRB are offering are fully heard by Licensees, and by potential licence applicants .

Here to Help:

We are always  happy to help you navigate the Licensing Processes (new, renewals, changes and transfers) – Initial queries and consultations cost nothing….