Tag: CAMRA Advocacy

  • President’s Update: September 2017

    On August 23rd we held our Beer on the Beach Picnic Protest at First Beach in English Bay! I can’t stress enough how excited I am by how this event went. We had dozens of media requests, and had between 40 and 50 people come through the event and drink a beer in protest of…

  • President’s Update: August 2017

    Over the last 2 1/2 years being the head of the Vancouver branch of this organization, I’ve had a chance to speak to a lot of people at various events across the lower mainland. A very common question I have for them is “What is the most important issue for you as a beer consumer?”…

  • CAMRA BC President’s Statement: Public Consumption of Alcohol

    Since 1985, The Campaign for Real Ale Society of British Columbia (CAMRA BC) has been advocating on behalf of craft beer consumers in BC. A big part of CAMRA BC’s mandate is to promote and protect BC liquor policies that positively impact BC craft beer consumers while educating those same consumers on their consumers’ rights…

  • Advocacy Update: February 2017

    One of British Columbia’s most unique breweries is in dire need of help. You may be familiar with Persephone Brewing, and the their setup as a farm based brewery. Many visitors to the Sunshine Coast have had the opportunity of visiting the farm, picking hops, and experiencing life as a member of the BC brewing…

  • Everyday Advocacy in the Vancouver Beer Scene

    Over the years we have spent a lot of time talking about big picture advocacy campaigns. Whether it is F.U.S.S., public drinking, line cleaning, we are always after a big campaign that can have drastic impacts, drive media attention and promote CAMRA’s mission to make beer accessible and affordable. But what about the everyday people…

  • Advocacy Update – October 2016

    Since the AGM last February, we have had a lot of curve balls thrown our way, wrenches in our wheels and general unforeseen happenings arise. As a result, I would be lying if I said we had gotten traction we wanted on anything we wanted to sink our teeth into. After a few months trying…

  • Advocacy Update: August 2016

    A few weeks ago I was perusing twitter and I came across a tweet by Kennedy Stewart, MP for Burnaby South (and my MP in the house of Commons.) As one of his constituents I found his social media feed to be a bit… safe, predictable and repetitive.

  • FUSS Update – July 2016

    A few months ago I announced that CAMRA Vancouver was going to be reinvigorating an old initiative in the F.U.S.S. campaign. For those that don’t know, the Fess Up to Serving Sizes campaign was aimed at educating consumers on the legal requirements of bars and breweries when it came to posting the size of their…

  • FUSS 2.0 – June 2016

    Ever since we launched FUSS 2.0 last newsletter I have been very pleased with the amount of comments, tweets, and emails I have received. In case you missed it, click here to read last month’s post. While the reception has been overwhelmingly positive from the consumer community, I must say there are two things that…

  • Pop-Up City Hall and Liquor Policy Survey, May 1, 2016

    The newly implemented liquor policy is now being reviewed again and the city is seeking your opinions on what that policy should look like. For a long time, alcohol has been demonized in our city, and with luck these restrictive policies are being critically evaluated. You can have your thoughts on the role of alcohol…

  • FUSS Letter 2016

    Dear pubs and restaurants of Vancouver, My name is David Perry, I am the President of the Vancouver Branch of CAMRA BC. CAMRA BC, or The Campaign for Real Ale Society of British Columbia, an independent and  voluntary, consumer organization dedicated to advocating for Craft Beer consumers in the province. Our organization is completely member…

  • Pop-Up City Hall: Liquor Policy at Nat Bailey Farmers Market, April 16, 2016

    Calling all CAMRA Vancouver members, The time has come to make your voices heard. At the AGM this past years many of you told me that you wanted us to take a stronger advocate stance on liquor policy. Well, that doesn’t start and end with the Executive Team; that starts and ends with all of…

  • Liquor Control and Licensing Branch Consultation – Liquor Consumption in Public Places

    In mid-March, the provincial government opened up a public consultation on public drinking in British Columbia. Unfortunately, their call for commentary seemed to last just about 24 hours – and their document requesting interested parties and stakeholders send in suggestions seems to have completely disappeared from their archives.

  • Ridge Brewing Company’s Lounge License Application Support

    In support of craft beer, we wrote to the City of Maple Ridge on September 10, 2015 in support of the lounge license application for Ridge Brewing Company. See below for a copy of the letter we sent

  • Advocacy Update: Navigating FOIPPA – Part One

    Advocacy Update: Navigating FOIPPA – Part One

    As if there wasn’t enough to dissect and make sense of, last week we saw a major shakeup in the Parliamentary cabinet, with Suzanne Anton being swapped out for Coralee Oakes, amongst other shuffling. Framed in ways that vary from one media outlet to another, there is one point that remains consistent regardless of whose publication you may read…

  • The Perversion of Reform: Abusing the Trust (and Wallets) of Consumers

    The Perversion of Reform: Abusing the Trust (and Wallets) of Consumers

    Did we really pay to recommend we, as consumers, ought to pay more? Funded by taxpayers to the tune of $200,000, the report – prepared by EY (formerly Ernst & Young) – was to be the basis of recommendations on how to reform provincial liquor laws and pricing in British Columbia. Recommendations which, as it turns out,…

  • Contacting your MLA

    With all the debate, ‘consultation’ and now changes in provincial liquor policy, many of our members have come to us looking for a way to get involved and tell their Political Leader what these changes have meant for them as consumers, small business owners and citizens.

  • Advocacy Update – 2015 Liquor Reform

    Since April 1st there has been a lot of talk about liquor reform. Christy Clark, Suzanne Anton and the BC Liberals brought forth a new model that was meant to “level the playing field” and was supposed to come without any major impact on consumers. Much to our (lack of) surprise, the numbers are in…

  • CAMRA Vancouver Advocacy Update April 2015

    As of April 1st, there have been some big changes to BC’s liquor policy including the extension of Liquor Distribution Branch store hours and addition of refrigeration and sales in some grocery stores. These changes will allow consumers greater access to craft beer, wine, and spirits. Which is good news for people looking for more…

  • Casks: An Introduction – By Adam Chatburn

    Now that I’m in the last few months of my last term as President, I wanted to talk about an aspect of craft beer that I feel is currently being deeply mishandled, casks. With more and more cask nights popping up all over the city we are developing a culture of craft beer that is…