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On March 29, 2023, the BC Liquor & Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) updated its structural change application requirements for Food Primary, Liquor Primary and Liquor Primary Club licensees. LCRB bulletin 23-03 outlines the new requirements.
Licensees must apply for approval of structural changes when they affect capacity, occupancy load, or the size of the liquor service area. These are the only circumstances in which a licensee must submit a structural change application; other structural changes no longer require approval. Bulletin 23-20 provides helpful examples of changes that no longer require approval. Licensees who have applied for a structural change that no longer needs approval will be contacted by LCRB staff.
It’s easy to overlook structural changes that affect capacity, occupancy load or the liquor service area size. For detailed information, read LCRB Liquor Policy Manual – Section 15 “Structural Changes”.
For an understanding of what is considered a structural change, see Section 15.1 “Definition of Structural Change”. Some structural changes are specific to a class of license. For information on structural changes relevant to different licenses, see Section 15.2 “Structural Changes by License Class”.
Download the Liquor Policy Manual.
If you’re still uncertain if the change requires approval, contact LCRB. If you inadvertently make a structural change that required approval, you may be out of compliance without knowing it. An inspector could issue a contravention notice.
Thrive Makes LCRB Structural Change Applications Easier than You Think!
If you’re liquor business plans to make structural changes, talk to a liquor consultant at Thrive Liquor & Cannabis Advisors first! We can help determine whether you need to apply for a structural change and can make the application process easy.
