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Improving government and business interactions in B.C. liquor law and policy

Last updated on November 30, 2020

In late 2017, Mark Hicken was appointed as the Ministry of Attorney General’s Liquor Policy Advisor to advise on possible law and policy reforms for government to improve efficiency and outcomes for business and government in relation to government responsibilities, regulations and oversight roles that intersect with the activities of B.C.’s private liquor businesses.

Mr. Hicken is a British Columbia lawyer with expertise in provincial law and policy related to liquor.

Liquor Policy Advisor Mark Hicken has presented government with a report that includes 24 recommendations that aim to improve efficiency and business relations between government and B.C.’s liquor industry. Hicken chaired a panel of industry representatives that met with stakeholders and health and labour experts to provide recommendations that reflect industry consensus.

Government would like to thank the panel for this report and acknowledge the time and effort spent developing recommendations that reflect the knowledge and perspective of this important B.C. industry.

The report sets out possible regulatory and policy reforms to improve efficiency and outcomes for business and government in relation to government responsibilities, regulations and oversight roles that intersect with the activities of B.C.’s private liquor businesses. Government will review each recommendation over the coming months to analyse and consider the potential health, public safety, social, financial and labour impacts of implementation, as well as ensure that any actions taken in response to the recommendations are compliant with British Columbia’s trade obligations. This analysis will require additional engagement with public health experts and labour representatives.

Government will be focusing its resources on assessing the panel recommendations, and will not be entertaining other industry requests for law and policy reform until the assessment and determination of next steps is complete. 

Business Technical Advisory Panel (Liquor Policy) Report and Recommendations

Useful Documents

Submissions to the Liquor Policy Advisor and the Business Technical Advisory Panel