Bert Hick, President & Founder of Rising Tide Consultants, spoke March 8th at the Standing Committee on City Finance and Services on Vancouverâs efforts to liberalize rules governing alcohol and the hospitality industry. Up for discussion was a “dual license” that would enable an establishment to serve food during the day and then transition into a bar in the evening.
Vancouver council considers three âdual licenceâ applications, from Cinema Public House and Cold Tea, both on the Downtown Granville strip, as well as Hamburger Maryâs in Davie Village.
Bert addressed Council asking for 2 Miracles.
âMiracle #1 is to amend current legislation to allow new establishments that are opening to apply for a dual license right off the bat. Right now, you have to have an existing Class 1 or Class 2 license in order to apply for a dual license.â
âMiracle #2 is to get rid of the antiquated policy that predates 2005 that simply does not work and doesnât exist in any other city, regarding the minimum distance between certain classes of liquor primary establishments, when existing establishments are seeking dual licensing.â
Following Mr. Hickâs address to Council, we are pleased to announce that Cinema Public House has been approved for their dual license!
When you wish to apply for any liquor or cannabis-related license, you are required to obtain and use a BCeID (BC Electronic Identification). Applicants log in through the BCeID. All of their personal and business information is accessible within a dashboard that allows them to apply in a few short steps easily.
What is a BCeID, and why do you need to obtain one to apply? The service is relatively new, and many people are unfamiliar with this service and what residents can accomplish through the signup process.
Applying for liquor and cannabis licensing isnât the only industry that requires this digital ID. Honestly, using this service can be beneficial, providing services that make specific processes run smoother and finalize quicker.
If you havenât signed up for the BCeID and need more information, we can fill you in. Keep reading for specific information on the BC Electronic Identification and why itâs needed for certain license applications.
What is a BCeID (BC Electronic Identification)?
The BCeID is an online portal that allows you to signup by inputting relevant information saved to fulfill requirements for certain online documents. There are three different types of BCeIDs.
Basic BCeID (BC Electronic Identification)
A Basic BCeID is used to access services in an individual capacity. You can access certain government and community services through a basic version of this ID if they donât require identity verification.
Personal BCeID
The Personal BCeID is essentially the same as the basic version, except for one notable difference. The personal version of this service verifies your identity for more sensitive documents that need to be submitted.
Business BCeID
A Business BCeID is used for all types of business matters. This is the license you would sign up for when you apply for any liquor or cannabis-related licensing.
What Can I Do With a BCeID (BC Electronic Identification)?
These are some of the services that are provided when you sign up for a BCeID. Remember, all of these can be accessed through the online dashboard once you sign up.
Change of address
Information regarding adoption and child services
Child care benefits
Angling, hunting, and trapping licensing
Autism service providers
Business-related cannabis and liquor licensing
Medical and personal cannabis cards and renewals
Fishing license
E-payments
Forestry management
Vehicle emissions
Educational work
Transportation services
The services listed are only a portion of the conveniences provided on the BCeID dashboard. You can handle any government, personal, or business service from one location. This critical electronic service integrates nearly every vital platform for an individual to renew, establish or signup for any service or license.
How Does it Work?
The BCeID system works by interlinking individuals onto a platform accessed by government organizations and organizations in the community. Educational, financial platforms, social services, assistance programs, agricultural and business sectors are all registered.
The connection between BC citizens and these services allows for the streamlining of paperwork and registration information. Once you sign up, everything is automated.
After signing up for the BCeID, you fill out important information regarding personal information like address, phone number, and other vital statistics. Youâll also fill out pertinent information relevant to each section in the directory. This information is saved after you fill it out and stored to upload for other services when you need them quickly.
This unique streamlined process saves users valuable time. Organizing all the information in one location allows you to keep track of important services you have updated and ones that need attention in the future.
Why is this service so important for the cannabis and liquor industry?
Benefits of BCeID for Cannabis and Liquor Industry
There are several benefits in using the BCeID service to submit applications for the cannabis and liquor industries.
Itâs convenient only to have to fill out your personal and business information one timeâeverything auto-fills when you come to subsequent areas you need to fill out.
Youâre connected directly to the agencies that need the application information.
If you donât finish everything at once, you can save it and come back later.
Itâs easier to keep track of what youâve filled out and when things need to be reapplied for. The dashboard lets you know when licensing expires.
Easy identification makes it unnecessary to show up in person with a copy of your physical ID.
Thereâs no need for appointments to fill out this information in person when you can do it from a central dashboard
The use of the BCeID could revolutionize the way other countries and regions do business online. An all-inclusive platform like this could benefit nearly every government agency and sector of business. So itâs not surprising to find out that other areas are beginning to implement this same type of technology as we progress further into the future.
Over the course of the last couple of years, quite a few things have changed in the world. Because of the pandemic, fewer people have been going out to bars and coffee shops than before, although itâs slowly starting to revert. The beverage industry, and cannabis industry, have changed to meet the needs of todayâs consumers. Letâs look at some of the top trends for both alcohol and cannabis in the coming year.
2022 Alcohol Trends
What can you expect to see in the world of alcohol in the coming year? There are some continuing trends, as well as some things you might not expect.
More Online Alcohol Sales
One of the biggest changes that have occurred, and that is likely here to stay, is the use of ecommerce for alcohol sales. Even though it was possible to buy alcohol online before the pandemic, it truly became popular during the height of COVID-19 because people were sheltering at home. They found that they could order alcohol online and they didâĶ in droves. Even though more people are going out to bars and restaurants again, the trend of ordering alcohol online and having it delivered will likely stay.
Continuing Popularity of Whiskey
Whiskey has been popular for quite a while, and it doesnât look like thatâs going to change anytime soon. People are not only drinking more whiskey, but they are trying out new brands and styles, learning about the way whiskey is made, how itâs stored, and more. The love and appreciation of whiskey are now similar to what wine lovers experience.
Many distilleries are popping up, and they often provide limited releases and special releases, which consumers love. They enjoy trying out new options and debating on their merits and flaws. Itâs becoming a lifestyle, and you can be sure that the popularity will continue for years to come.
Celebrity Alcohol Brands Will Continue
Celebrities have been endorsing products since the beginning. Sometimes, they endorse or even own brands, including alcohol brands. Some of the popular names involved in the alcohol industry include Ryan Reynolds, Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Mariah Carey, Brad Paisley, Bruno Mars, and Snoop Dogg to name just a few. You can expect to see even more of these celebrity-owned and endorsed brands in the future because they tend to do well.
More Trendy Beverages for 2022
You should also see a rise in the number of premium canned cocktails being made available by spirit distillers, along with more hard seltzers. Additionally, more and more people are becoming interested in hard coffee and hard kombucha. Interestingly, there is even rising popularity for low and no alcohol beverages for people who like to go out and be social, but who do not want to drink much.
Boxed wine, which used to have a bad reputation, is becoming popular because it tends to be a more sustainable choice. Sustainability is highly important for many consumers today. It also tends to be affordable, which is always a nice bonus.
2022 Cannabis Trends
Whatâs happening in the world of cannabis? With legalization in more states, as well as Canada, you can expect to see more cannabis products being released. From vape pens to edibles and everything in between, the world is becoming more accustomed to cannabis.
Drinkable Cannabis Products on the Rise
One of the other big trends that weâre likely to see going forward will be cannabis you can drink. The stigma of cannabis is starting to fade, and more and more people are using it for a host of purposesâpleasure, help sleeping, anxiety, etc. However, not everyone wants to smoke or use edibles.
Therefore, many of the most prominent companies in the beverage and cannabis industry are making cannabis-infused drinks. This gives people another avenue of consumption. Drinking a beverage is something they are already familiar with, so they donât need to know how to use a bong, roll a joint, etc.
The drinks go to work faster than edibles, which can often take an hour or more for someone to feel the effects. They are more discreet than smoking or vaping, as well. Itâs expected that this will be one of the more popular 2022 cannabis trends.