Vancouver Grocery Stores Selling Liquor

Vancouver Council will be allowing a store within a store model to allow grocery stores to sell liquor. Council voted to approve the zoning bylaw creating a new retail definition of “Grocery Store with Liquor Store” to replace their previous definition of a grocery store, which included drug stores. However, drug stores will still not be allowed to sell liquor.

Grocery stores must have a separated liquor area with a cashier specifically handling liquor sales.

Under provincial regulations, grocery stores need to be at least 10,000 sq. ft. and must be at least one km away from other liquor stores.

Specific policies and guidelines related to the sale of liquor in grocery stores will be reported to Council in early May and if they’re approved, applications will start being accepted mid-May.