Hours of Liquor Service for Food Primary Licensed Establishments (Restaurants)

On October 8, 2009, Council approved a bylaw amendment establishing new regulations for Food Primary licensed establishments. Under the new regulations, licensees may apply for a permanent amendment to their hours of liquor service, as outlined in this section.

View the agenda and minutes of the October 8th meeting, including a video of the proceedings.

» New Regulations
» Application Process
» Contacts

New Regulations

Hours of liquor service

• The bylaw amendment establishes the following hours of liquor service in restaurants:
  • 1 am closing time Sunday through Thursday; and
    2 am closing time Friday and Saturday
• A half-hour tolerance period, after which drinks must be removed from tables, applies.
• Restaurants that have existing closing times later than 1 am on weekdays and 2 am on weekends must adopt the new closing times by December 31, 2009.

New Operating Regulations

• The bylaw amendment establishes the following new operating regulations:
  • During all hours of allowable liquor service, restaurants must offer the full restaurant menu to customers;
  • During all hours of allowable liquor service, restaurants must ensure that at least 50% of sales at the restaurant in any eight hour period are for food; and
  • Restaurants must keep sales receipts for all sales of food and liquor for at least one year, and show them to the Inspector upon request.

Consolidated Business Licence Classifications

• The bylaw amendment consolidates business licence requirements for licensed restaurants.
• Licensed restaurants no longer need both a Dining Lounge and Restaurant (Class 1 or Class 2) business licence. Now, licensed restaurants only need either a Restaurant Class 1 with Liquor business licence, or, for those that offer patron participation entertainment (such as dancing and/or karaoke), a Restaurant Class 2 with Liquor business licence.

Increased Business Licence Fees

• The bylaw amendment increases the 2010 business licence fee for licensed restaurants by $3.00 per seat, and by a 4% inflationary increase.
• The 2010 business licence fees for a Restaurant Class 1 or 2 with Liquor are as follows:
  • New licence: $686.00 plus $8.00 per seat
  • Renewal: $636.00 plus $8.00 per seat
• The new fees will appear on the 2010 business licence renewal forms