Structure and Responsibilities
The Liquor Control and Licensing Branch consists of four divisions:
The Licensing and Local Government Liaison Division processes all applications for new liquor licences, as well as applications to amend or transfer existing liquor licences, and seeks the views of local government before deciding which applications should be approved. The division also works with the Liquor Distribution Branch to administer Special Occasion Licences (SOLs). This includes providing SOL policies and procedures and dealing with requests from individuals or groups for exceptions to the standard SOL rules (a charity, for example, may ask to charge more than the usual maximum liquor prices to raise money).
The Compliance and Enforcement Division educates licensees about their responsibilities under British Columbia's liquor laws and policies, and under the terms and conditions of their particular licence. It also inspects licensed establishments - completing approximately 12,000 inspections a year - and takes enforcement action when necessary.
The Policy, Planning and Communication Division is responsible for developing changes to legislation, regulations or policies as required, and for branch strategic planning, issues management and communications. The division also identifies performance measures and creates systems to monitor and track trends, and consults with stakeholder groups, including industry associations, the police and local governments, on liquor control and licensing issues.
The Management Services Division provides financial advice to the branch executive, administers the branch budget, renewals and recoveries, and provides systems, telecommunications and information support. It also manages human resource matters, all branch facilities, vehicles and records.
