BC Commissions Review of LDB

BC’s government announced in December that they will be conducting an independent review of the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) in the new year.

The review is in direct response to industry’s ongoing concerns about LDB’s service and product delivery. Government also wants to ensure the LDB’s recent transition to the Delta Distribution Centre is meeting the needs of wholesale customers.

The review is being conducted as a result of a recommendation in the Business Technical Advisory Panel report.

In late 2017, the Attorney General retained Mark Hicken, a long-time wine industry lawyer and expert, as a liquor policy advisor to liaise with industry stakeholders and provide recommendations to government on ways to support BC’s industry. As a key part of this work, Hicken chaired the Business Technical Advisory Panel (BTAP), comprised of industry association stakeholders.

The panel submitted their final report to government in June 2018 and offered 24 recommendations to improve BC’s liquor industry. Government’s review in the new year will also be exploring the feasibility of implementing other recommendations from BTAP’s report.

An outside consultant will be engaged by government to conduct the review. It will begin in the new year, once the LDB has substantially transitioned to the new Delta Distribution Centre. Many other details aren’t clear yet, including timelines, terms of reference, who will be conducting the review, and how industry will be involved.

For more information, please read the full BC government announcement here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018AG0106-002385

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