Today the movement to allow beer lounges in Vancouver took a big step forward thanks to a motion tabled by NPA Clr George Affleck which formalized the fact that the city zoning and licensing offices are working on a way to allow Beer Lounges in Vancouver.
If you’ve not been keeping up to date with the developments: in February the Provincial Government created a policy (law) which stated that brewers could offer more than the 12oz per person per day in samples that they were currently limited to. It allowed them to be able to serve their beer in pints and have more space but they would have to get an endorsement on their manufacturing licence to run a “lounge”. However the City of Vancouver initially insisted that they would need a liquor primary licence, which they wouldn’t be able to get because the city doesn’t accept applications from industrial zoned areas – which (you guessed it), is the only place breweries are permitted to operate.
The relaxation of the regulations by the BC government was instantly matched by this tangle of overlapping red tape. CAMRA BC President Rick Green and I went to Vancouver City Hall and met with Clr Heather Deal about the situation and she agreed that they would look into fixing the problem. However former-CAMRA BC Vancouver Chapter President and Van East beer blogger Paddy Treavor kept the pressure on and after writing a fairly scathing open letter to the City Council met with Clr George Affleck – the only person to return his emails. Clr Affleck then proposed a motion which was quickly adopted by Mayor Gregor Robertson (pictured on the right) and the other councillors.
Once I heard that the motion was on the docket I contacted the authorities asking for the opportunity to address the council in support of the motion. My opportunity came today, unfortunately Paddy wasn’t able to come and speak due to family commitments but Conrad Gmoser head brewer from Brassneck came along in a non-speaking role.
I had received a number of helpful emails from Chair Clr Andrea Reimer which explained the process and as our item was the last of the day it could happen any time from 11am to 8pm (or even later). Around 3.30pm I received a message from Clr Reimer which estimated the motion would be heard around 4pm, so I headed over to the chambers. I was in time to catch the closing overs of the motion to build the new Art Gallery which had rather more weeping in joy, hugs and emotional ovations than I had anticipated (it seems these people feel about galleries the way we feel about beer). As the chamber emptied of the entire audience to give back-slapping interviews to the various media outlets in the lobby our motion was heard.
A. THAT staff report back to Council on the required changes to the relevant regulations within the City of Vancouver that would permit micro-breweries and distilleries on industrial land to sample and sell craft beer and spirits produced on -site, thus being consistent with the provincial liquor policy changes noted in Policy Directive 13-02.
I was asked to speak and I was happy to do so (for the full text of the speech see the advocacy section of the CAMRA Vancouver website). Clr Affleck, the Mayor and Clr Deal all agreed that this is a great thing for the city to get behind and intimated that there would be an announcement in May of the findings.
There was a minor amendment proposed around the word “sample” to change it to “provide samples” but that was defeated – a minor procedural issue it seems.
The vote passed unanimously, we were thanked and the council adjourned. A small victory but a crucial one and we have George and Paddy to thanks for it. Hopefully when the findings come back we will be able to speak again and take the next step in a very long journey into making Vancouver the hub of craft beer culture.
http://cityofvan-as1.insinc.com/ibc/mp/md/open/c/317/2311/201304241345wv150en,002
I’d like to personally thank Conrad, Paddy, Clr Affleck, Clr Reimer, Mayor Robertson, all the other folk at City Hall who were very helpful.
Adam Chatburn, President CAMRA BC – Vancouver Chapter, April 25th 2013
Leave a Reply