Nova Scotia earns B grade on pandemic liquor policy report

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, July 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The grades are in: For the fourth time since 2015, Restaurants Canada has given every province a report card on how industry-friendly their liquor policy panorama is for bars and eating places.

In this yr’s Raise the Bar report, Nova Scotia’s grade rose from a B-minus to a B. This enchancment was primarily as a result of growth of the province’s present 10% liquor pricing low cost for bars and eating places, to incorporate bottled and canned beer, ready-to-drink liquor merchandise, and cider. Nova Scotia was additionally the one province in Atlantic Canada to position a cap on third-party supply charges to assist hard-hit companies protect their earnings within the wake of COVID-19.

“Nova Scotia has gone above and beyond to help licensed establishments keep their costs down amid the ongoing pandemic,” mentioned Richard Alexander, Restaurants Canada Vice President, Atlantic Canada. “As bars and restaurants continue to transition from survival to revival, Restaurants Canada looks forward to working with the provincial government on ways to further support their recovery.”

Here’s how Nova Scotia’s efficiency file on Restaurants Canada’s Raise the Bar report compares with the remainder of the provinces:

How can Nova Scotia elevate the bar?

Restaurants Canada is continuous to work with the Nova Scotia authorities to enhance the liquor policy panorama for bars and eating places. Here’s how the province can enhance its grade by the following Raise the Bar report:

• Increase licensee pricing reductions;
• Undertake a complete re-write of liquor laws to chop pink tape and mirror altering market situations;
• Introduce a liquor server wage; and
• Lower taxes to even the enjoying area with craft breweries.

Visit restaurantscanada.org/assets/raise-the-bar-2022 to obtain the total report and be a part of within the on-line dialog with the hashtag #RaiseTheBar2022.

About Restaurants Canada

Restaurants Canada is a nationwide, not-for-profit affiliation advancing the potential of Canada’s various and dynamic foodservice {industry} by way of member applications, analysis, advocacy, assets and occasions. Before the COVID-19 disaster, Nova Scotia’s $2.1 billion restaurant {industry} was the province’s second-largest supply of personal sector jobs, sometimes using practically 39,000 individuals. Nova Scotia’s bars and eating places are nonetheless struggling to rebound from at the least $700 million in misplaced income and get well hundreds of jobs within the wake of the pandemic.

• Raise the Bar 2022: Report Card on Provincial Liquor Policies for Bars and Restaurants