P.E.I. gets B- on liquor policies report card

Prince Edward Island received one of the higher marks in the country for its liquor control policy from Restaurants Canada.

The Raise the Bar report card gave the province a B–.

Only Alberta got a higher mark, with a B. Quebec and Nova Scotia also received a B–.

"I think what P.E.I. is doing is they recognize the value of the hospitality industry in terms of social fabric, the economy and just how important it is to work with the industry to create economic development," said Luc Erjavec, vice-president Atlantic for Restaurants Canada. 

"It's really been a win-win partnership and we're really proud and happy to be working with the government and the P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission to make things better for the industry and ultimately our customers," Erjavec added. 

P.E.I.'s mark is unchanged since the first Raise the Bar report card in 2015, but Restaurants Canada did praise the province for several changes that have been made:

• Wait times for liquor licences have been shortened by a month.
• Licensed dining rooms can now have limited entertainment.
• Fee for an off-sale licence reduced.
• Licensees provided electronic access to liquor license applications and payments.

The P.E.I. L.C.C. has reduced the average wait time to receive a liquor license by about 30 days, Erjavec said. Licences are sometimes now granted in just days. The change, he said, is because the commission's board no longer approves licenses — that's done by staff. 

"It's a great job at reducing red tape and making things more efficient while making still protecting the public," Erjavec said.

'It's ridiculous'

Restaurants Canada also noted P.E.I. is the only provincial monopoly providing across-the-board discounts to licensees, and said the province has committed to work with them through a major review of liquor control policies.

The association said limited selection remains an issue in the province, but acknowledged the size of the market is a factor in addressing that problem.

One of the changes Restaurants Canada is still seeking is less red tape and expense for importation of liquor among provinces. 

"We're supposed to have free trade in this country," Erjavec said. "Why can't someone go to New Brunswick or go anywhere across Canada and bring alcohol across the borders? It's ridiculous. So we're really looking forward to see what happens in the Supreme Court challenge in December." 

An overhaul of the P.E.I. Liquor Control Act is in the works, Erjavec noted. 

"We hope within a year or two years we'll have a new act that actively reflects modern business practices, is flexible and really allows us to serve our customers easier and better." 

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