Liquor Licencing Uncorked — A Primer

From time to time, a proposed real estate transaction will include, as an ancillary component, some type of liquor licensing matter. For example, hotel purchases generally involve the transfer of one or more licences, or applications for new ones. A landlord may wish to lease space to a tenant that uses a liquor licence in the course of its business, such as a restaurant, pub or beer and wine store. Liquor licensing will even be relevant where the shares of a company that holds a liquor licence are being sold. Regardless of the specifics of the transaction, often one or both parties do not possess a good understanding of the liquor licensing regime in British Columbia. The purpose of this article is to provide some background information on the licensing regime and to highlight certain requirements that parties should be aware of.