Know What Documentation You Require
Along with your manufacturer's application form (and the agent's application form, if you are planning to sell your products off-site), criminal records search forms and non-refundable application fee, you will need to attach:
- a photo-copy of your driver's licence, passport or any other government-issued photo-ID (and the licences, passports or IDs of any co-applicants or partners) as proof of identity
- proof that you are the owner of the business and have "valid interest" in the property where the establishment will be located (i.e., you own, lease, or have an option to own or lease, the property and facilities that will not expire for at least 12 months from the date we issue your licence), and
- a general prospectus or business plan, including a statement of assets and liabilities, a description of the expertise of your wine, beer or spirit maker, and a list of the proposed products (wines, ciders, beers or spirits) to be produced annually for at least three years. The Interactive Business Planner is a useful website on how to develop a business plan.
- two large copies of your floor plans, drawn to scale, and one smaller copy reduced to 8 1/2" X 11" - of your proposed manufacturing facility, indicating where the manufacturing equipment will be placed and, for wineries only, where fermentation tanks or barrels, filtering equipment and a storage area will be located – and if you are proposing an on-site retail store, the plans should also indicate where the sales counter and display shelves will be located
- a sketch of your proposed signs
- if you are a winery, proof that you have equipment and facilities adequate for producing at least 4,500 litres of wine per year (this includes fermentation tanks or barrels, filtering equipment and a secure storage area).
About the PST
All B.C. liquor manufacturers are required to charge PST on the liquor they serve, which means you will have to apply for registration as a vendor with the Consumer Taxation Branch. You must have your registration certificate in place before we can issue you a food-primary licence. See the Consumer Taxation Branch website for information about the PST and the registration process.
Distributing and selling liquor products in B.C.
For policies and procedures on distributing and selling liquor products in the province contact:
Stephanie Watts
Liquor Distribution Branch
Industry Programs Coordinator
3200 E. Broadway
Vancouver B.C. V5M 1Z6
604 252-3039
stephanie.watts@bcliquorstores.com
And:
- You must ask the local fire/building authorities - your local government can tell you who exactly you need to talk to - to review your proposed floor plans. They will give the plans a stamp of approval if they meet safety and building standards. The liquor inspector may ask to see your stamped plans at the final inspection, before we issue you a liquor licence. (See Local government or other approvals for more information.)
- If you are applying for a winery licence, and want a winery lounge and/or picnic area, special event, or winery tour endorsement, you must attach a completed Application for a Winery Licence Endorsement (LCLB049).
- If the proposed site for your winery is within an Agricultural Land Reserve, you must ensure that at least half the fruit used to produce the wine will be grown at the winery site - or - the winery is on a commercial farm (producing farm product used in winemaking) that is at least 2 hectares in area, and at least half the fruit used to make the wine comes from a B.C. farm under a 3 year contract to provide fruit to the winery. Please see the Agricultural Land Commission web site or call the commission at (604) 660-7000 for more information.
• If you are a private corporation, you will need to attach copies of your:
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Extra-provincial registration (if applicable)
- Director's Resolution(s) allocating shares or transferring shares
- Current Register of Members (shareholders) or Central Securities Register
- Current Register of Directors and Executive Officers (or Notice of Articles)
- Memorandum of Authorized Capital (or Notice of Articles), and
- Special Rights and Restrictions within the articles which detail the classes and types of shares and whether or not each class or type of share has voting privileges (if the information is not already included in the Memorandum or Register of Members.
• If any "holding" or "parent" companies have an interest in your application, you will need to provide copies of each company's:
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Current Register of Members (shareholders) or Central Securities Register
- Current Register of Directors and Executive Officers (or Notice of Articles)
- Memorandum of Authorized Capital (or Notice of Articles), and
- Special Rights and Restrictions within the articles which detail the classes and types of shares and whether or not each class or type of share has voting privileges (if the information is not already included in the Memorandum or Register of Members.
Note: As an alternative to the above corporate documents, you may attach a letter from a BC lawyer providing the essential information contained within the documents.
• If you are a public corporation, you will need to indicate the stock exchange where your shares are publicly traded, your stock exchange company’s initials, and attach copies of your:
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Extra-provincial registration (if applicable)
- Notice of Directors (voting and non-voting), and your
- List of Executive Directors.
• If you are part of a registered partnership or joint venture, you will need to attach copies of your:
- Registration of Partnership, or
- Partnership Agreement or Joint Venture Agreement.
• If you are a society, you will need to attach copies of your:
- Certificate of Incorporation under the Society Act
- Constitution and By-Laws
- Current List of Officers and Directors, and
- Membership List.
