In a unanimous decision, the Vancouver City Council has paved the way for an expansion of wine sales in local grocery stores, ushering in a new era of convenience and choice for the city’s shoppers. Councilor Mike Klassen emphasized that it is now within the purview of grocery retailers holding appropriate licenses to introduce this much-anticipated change.
The city is eager to gauge public sentiment on this significant development, and as a result, a public hearing has been scheduled for Thursday. During this hearing, city officials will explore potential adjustments to the city’s zoning bylaws to permit the sale of wine in grocery stores.
Five years ago, Vancouver first allowed grocery stores to establish dedicated liquor sections within their premises. However, only one store opted to do so. Today, the city’s staff is advocating for the inclusion of wine on the grocery store shelves.
It’s important to note that the provincial government has issued a mere 33 permits for stocking wine on store shelves, a presence limited to just 20 communities across British Columbia. Additionally, the issuance of new permits has been temporarily halted. Consequently, any licenses allocated for Vancouver will have to be reallocated from other communities.
City staff in Vancouver have revealed in a report that, according to feedback from existing licensees, there is a level of interest from businesses considering relocation to Vancouver to partake in wine sales. Nevertheless, they anticipate that this interest will not result in a significant influx at the current juncture.
