The provincial government has announced a temporary extension of liquor store hours for retailers in B.C.
Liquor retailers like wine stores or private liquor stores across B.C. will be temporarily allowed to operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. if they choose to do so.
See also: BC Liquor stores will be closed on Sundays starting this weekend
“These time-limited measures should provide seniors and immuno-compromised populations the opportunity to buy liquor during early shopping hours already being provided by other retailers, such as grocery stores,” reads a statement from the Ministry of Attorney General.
Under the temporary orders issued by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) and the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB), delivery services have also been authorized to deliver liquor products — from retail liquor stores or any store authorized to sell alcohol — between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Extending hours is optional and depends on individual liquor retailers. This announcement does not apply to BC Liquor Stores.
These measures, in fact, run counter to the reduction in hours instated by BC Liquor Store branches across the province last month.
BC Liquor Stores reduced their hours to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and remain closed on Sundays, however individual stores may have different hours depending on their location.
Those reductions were a result of staffing shortages and an increase in demand for liquor products that led to challenges in stocking and restocking shelves.
The new policies allowing private liquor stores and wine stores to operate for longer hours will remain in place until July 15th, 2020.
