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Friday, December 27, 2013
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www.vicnews.com
City awaits happy hour As B.C. ponders new liquor rules, city councillor wonders how it will affect limited police resources Daniel Palmer News staff
The pending introduction of happy hour at B.C. bars and restaurants is being met with cautious optimism by one Victoria councillor. Premier Christy Clark last week announced the province will relax provincial liquor laws to create happy hour, which allows liquor licence holders to reduce alcohol prices during a specified time period. But the devil will be in the details as to how those changes are rolled out, said Coun. Chris Coleman. “I think the policy works in terms of getting people in, but the question is then what distress it creates on police resources,” Coleman said. “It could be subject to some abuse, or it could be run in a very community minded way. I think what the province is trying to get to is get to more of a European model that’s seen as more progressive.” Victoria introduced minimum retail liquor prices to help curb binge drinking and impaired driving problems in 2004. The $3 standard alcoholic drink pricing was in addition to provincial regulations that resulted in a substantial decrease in alcohol-attributed deaths, according to the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. at the University of Victoria. B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall has also advocated for an annual adjustment of minimum drink prices to adjust for inflation, but Clark hasn’t yet revealed specific price points. The province also intends to make its Serving it Right liquor training mandatory for staff at restaurants, B.C. Liquor Stores and rural agency and wine stores. A full report on liquor law reform is expected in February. dpalmer@vicnews.com
Our door is open.
Join us for the Esquimalt Recreation Centre Open House.
Pancake Breakfast l FREE Admissions l Program Demos l Prizes l And More. Saturday January 4th: 8:00am-12:30pm 527 Fraser Street
Visit esquimalt.ca for details on this FREE event. Everyone Welcome.