Liquor store policy raises criticism

By Dan Hilborn
Published Apr. 17, 2006


Despite protests from at least one pub owner, Burnaby council has imposed new restrictions on private liquor stores and called on the provincial government to build at least two new 'signature' liquor stores in the city.

Mayor Derek Corrigan said the policy is an attempt to slow the proliferation of private liquor stores in Burnaby and to prevent a rise in crime, as he claims occurred in Alberta when the liquor distribution system was privatized in that province.

Corrigan said the deregulation of the retail liquor industry has had its most profound effect in the city of Edmonton, where there is now "a private liquor store, 7-Eleven and a porno shop" on almost every corner.

"That's not what we want in Burnaby," Corrigan said.

The mayor's comments came after the owner of the Hop & Vine Pub, Bernard Kooner, asked council to allow him to relocate his private liquor store from the Greystone Plaza near Burnaby Mountain golf course to Kensington Square.

Kooner said it was two years ago when he received 'pre- clearance' from the provincial government to move his private liquor store into Kensington Square, where a government liquor store was closed on Jan 21 this year.

Kooner was joined by consultant Cindy Burton, who provided council with a letter from Jay Chambers, manager of the provincial liquor distribution branch, which said the government has no intention of opening a new signature liquor store in Kensington Square.

Burton said the city's recommendations are "flawed or incomplete" because they ignore the province's plans for the liquor distribution system. "It's kind of ludicrous," Burton said. "It doesn't appear to be good public policy in any event."

But Corrigan said the city was forced to set its own guidelines, provincial government's comments about the liquor distribution system cannot be taken at face value.

"The provincial government has been unbearably untruthful," Corrigan said. "What we get are duplicitous statements."

The mayor pointed to the successful campaign to keep open the government liquor store at the Old Orchard mall near Metrotown as a good example of how community reaction can change the government's stated objectives. And Coun. Colleen Jordan pointed to a similar situation in Kamloops last year where a liquor store closure was announced and then reversed because of public pressure.

"It's difficult to move halfway with a partner who refuses to tell the truth," Corrigan said.

Coun. Dan Johnston noted that Burnaby North MLA Richard Lee is on record stating that the government is considering plans to open a new signature liquor store in another location near Kensington Square.

The new liquor store location framework policy was approved by a 4-3 vote with the three Team Burnaby members of council in opposition.

Coun. Lee Rankin was unsuccessful in his attempt to have council table the recommendations until they received formal clarification of the governments plans for the Kensington Square site.

"I don't support the policy as proposed and I don't think it's based on reality," Rankin said.

Rankin also said there was no urgency for passing the new policy, and noted that he would have supported other guidelines in the regulations, such as tying the number of liquor stores in Burnaby to the city's population. Having one liquor store for every 11,000 or 12,000 residents "might be the right number," he said.

Coun. Garth Evans also voted against the guidelines and said he has overheard B.C. solicitor general John Les, the minister responsible for liquor distribution, say: 'If Burnaby thinks they'll get four signature stores, they're dreaming.'