Anderson Consulting & Interior Design

04/26/2026

Recently LCRB provided a 'Bulletin' to all their licensees in BC providing the following information (summarized here):

Service improvements you can expect

Over the coming fiscal year 26/27, liquor licence renewal fees will fund new service improvements: Faster licensing processes, and more clear timelines They also promise practical tools that make it easier for licensees to stay compliant.

Streamlined Licensing and Stronger Compliance Through Digital Innovation

A faster, more clear, online licensing portal with built-in-checks to catch incomplete or missing documents, application status indicators, and improved accessibility and performance.

Improved tools for local governments to review licence applications — helping them make licensing application decisions more quickly.

Practical compliance tools that make it easier to stay compliant and avoid common high-risk issues such as service to minors and certification gaps including:

AI support built directly into the licensing portal to quickly answer general regulatory questions and help licensees understand due diligence in day-to-day operations.
A mobile-friendly digital Serving It Right credential for secure, on-phone proof during inspections — eliminating the need for paper records.
IMPORTANT: A Licensee's key defence against LCRB Enforcement Action (and perhaps even legal action), is normally 'Due Diligence'

The key to 'Due Diligence' is not only practicing it, but also establishing a system that evidences that a Licensee has regularly done so.

This is something that we can support all classes of licensees in doing - It is an inexpensive service, that can save thousands in financial penalties, and even more in protecting - In our experience, when LCRB offer 'practical tools that make it easier for licensees to stay compliant'; they will absolutely check to verify that licensees are using them, and putting them in to practice. We offer dedicated presentations in how licensees and their staff, can avoid the pitfalls of non compliance; and routinely practice 'Due Diligence'.

(Please feel free to reach out for a free initial consultation on how this may support and protect your licensed business.)

LCRB are also promising : Transparent Service Standards and Clearer Licensing Timelines

Weekly public updates on our website showing which application dates are currently under review for Food Primary, Liquor Primary, Manufacturing, Cannabis Retail Store, Producer Retail Store, and Cannabis Marketing licences.

Reporting to include additional licence types as systems and data improve.
Defined service standards that tell you how quickly your application will be checked and assigned for review.

Applications requiring an occupant load stamp receive a completeness decision within 5 business days of receipt.
Complete Food Primary applications (with occupant load stamp) assigned to a case manager within 10 business days of receipt (compared to an average of 32 business days in 2025).
Complete Liquor Primary, Manufacturer, and change applications assigned to an analyst within 20 business days of receipt (compared to an average of 60 business days in 2025).
Temporary change applications with local government approval are processed within 5 business days of receipt — supporting planning certainty for special events, including FIFA.
Eliminated application backlog so applications move to review faster, and licensing timelines improve.
All of the above are good news - We would all love to see delays in licensing that negatively impact so many businesses removed.

Also, any improvement to both the user friendliness of the LCRB On Line Portal, are to be welcomed.

The downside, is as with all system improvements, it is ultimately the licensee, their staff, and customers that have to pay for it:

What’s changing and when-

To support these LCRB improvements and to maintain 'timely licensing operations', annual liquor licence renewal fees will increase effective May 1, 2026. Most renewal fees are based on how much liquor a business purchases or produces each year.

Fee impacts for hospitality (purchased-based) licensees by tier:

Nearly half of all licensees are in the lowest fee tier, where the increase is approximately $75 annually
Middle-tier licensees will see an annual increase of approximately $420
Highest-tier licensees will see an annual increase of approximately $660
Manufacturer licence renewal fees are based on production volume, meaning increases vary depending on production size, with larger producers seeing higher increases under the updated fee structure.

In addition, effective May 1, 2026, a $5 increase is also being applied to the Serving It Right and Special Event Server training programs. This change will help sustain program delivery through service providers and enable necessary program enhancements.

What’s not changing

This update applies only to renewal fees. No other fee categories are changing, and this does not introduce an annual or automatic fee increase model.

Licensing processes and renewal timelines are not changing.

Apologies for the lengthy post, but we feel it is important that the full details of the improvements LCRB are offering are fully heard by Licensees, and by potential licence applicants .

Here to Help:

We are always happy to help you navigate the Licensing Processes (new, renewals, changes and transfers) - Initial queries and consultations cost nothing....

04/26/2026

A bedding refresh for one of the Residences at Fairmont Hot-springs designed to complement the existing blue/grey wall colour palette.

When the foundation is right, the goal is never to compete with it, but to elevate it.

For this space, I’ve selected linens from Brunelli, sourced directly through their Quebec studio.

I’m highly selective about what I bring into a project. Every layer has to meet a certain standard,visually, tactically, and in how it performs over time. Especially in a rental setting, where quality is tested constantly.

Brunelli delivers that balance effortlessly.

The palette is calm and cohesive, the textures are refined, and the overall effect feels tailored without trying too hard.

There’s a quiet confidence to it,
elevated, enduring… and just a little bit indulgent.

Because the best spaces don’t just look good,
they make you want to stay a little longer.

I wonder which one the owner will choose !

03/04/2026

We just wanted to give a big shout out to the team at RFE Alarms and Sound, Invermere; and especially Ken Hann who provided us with a reminder of how first class their service really is recently.

We have used RFE for both work and home for some years, and could not rate them highly enough - Their latest systems are (as usual) top line, but still come at reasonable cost. Their follow up services are second to none.

If you need a security system in the Valley, or beyond; do not go past RFE!

RFE Alarms & Sound is a Security company helping business owners and homeowners to rest easy knowing that their property is being monitored 24/7. Since 1983 we have been supplying top-quality products for all your home audio and automation needs.

02/07/2026

A fresh new look for the living space at Unit 501 at Marble Canyon Fairmont Creek Vacation Rentals

I was asked to refresh and update the living space, I added two additional swivel seats to complement the leather chaise sectional ,this added both comfort and function.
The tall, dated TV stand was replaced with a sleek, modern piece that ties in beautifully with the existing coffee table.

The result is a clean mountain-contemporary vibe—warm, inviting, and perfectly suited for a relaxing getaway.

Simple well thought out solutions can increase functionality whilst improving the overall look of your property.

I hope the guests enjoy it .
Noelene
www.andersoninteriordesign.ca

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Hp34PO9hiu0&si=lVo3d938LAfQwEF8

A fresh new look for Unit 501 at Marble Canyon in Fairmont Creek Vacation Rentals.I was brought in to refresh and update the space, adding two additional sea...

12/23/2025

Wishing all our Clients, their families, and all their staff a very Happy, Peaceful and Successful Holiday Season.

Merry Christmas to all of you, and thank you very much for allowing us to be part of your business plan, and to help bring your vision to life.....

12/03/2025

Having a lot of fun as usual in the run up to Ski Season engaging with staff in a lot of the outlets, many of us will be visiting across East Kootenay in the coming weeks.

Thanks to all the businesses who have invited us to do this in order to see both their staff and customers safe, and happy during one of their busiest seasons.

We have a busy schedule of presentations coming up in the run up to Christmas, but if you own or operate a business licensed for liquor service, we can help ensure you have evidence of due diligence, should you ever be in the position that you have to challenge an alleged breach of liquor regulations; or defend a legal action arising from an incident in, or connected to your business. Please do reach out to learn more about what we offer.

The feed back we receive from both business owners and staff is overwhelmingly positive, with employees very much appreciating the opportunity to seek answers to questions about liquor requirements in BC. This is especially important for staff who may be from out of Province or from another country.

Wishing you all a very safe, successful and happy season.....

12/03/2025

Life Lessons About Liquor:

With both the Festive, and Ski Seasons champing at the bit, it's always good to remember a few key points while celebrating:

1) It's important to have a lot of fun, and enjoy your drinks while doing so - Just remember having enough, is normally much more fun than having way too many....

2) When your friends have forgotten 1) above - Take care of them, so all of you can safely laugh about it the next day (after the terminal hangover starts to wear off).

3) Be kind to your servers and bar tenders - They are working extra hard to deal with all the celebrations, and to make sure you have a great time. They will get to you, even it takes just a little longer than usual . Also if 2) above applies, do your server a favour, and take care of your 'over happy' friends, so they don't have to.

4) Have a great time, but do stay safe and happy......Don't be like our little US Racoon friend below....(and if you work in a liquor store, apparently it is a good idea to beware of racoons). If you are working, so the rest of us can have fun, and stay safe - Thank You!

11/16/2025

Another great, and innovative business opening in the Columbia Valley - Congratulations to all at Stingers on their new venture.

We are excited and privileged to be playing a small role in bringing their ultimate vision to life.....

FORE!
Are you ready Invermere...
Finally, a space in the Columbia Valley to get your swing on all year long. Stingers Golf and Putting Simulator is coming very soon!

Located at 315B 3rd Avenue (between Fuze and Fubuki), you'll experience the best indoor golf featuring three bays powered by Foresight Sports and one of only three publicly available PuttView greens in all of BC.

Whether you're an avid golfer wanting to hone your skills or looking to do something fun and different with a group of friends on a cold winter night, we got you covered.

Just in time for the holidays, we're gearing up to open the first week in December. If you'd like to hear more about our Grand Opening VIP and holiday specials, send us a PM here or head over to our website to drop us a line at www.stingersgolfsim.com

We'll have some amazing draws for some fantastic prizes to announce soon.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the links 😎

11/16/2025

As we head towards Ski Season, many of our clients are gearing up with both upgrades to accommodations; and with presentations to staff involved in liquor service to guests.

If you haven't already booked your winter team refresher, or have a lot of new seasonal staff coming in for Winter, feel free to reach out for more information, or to schedule a presentation.

Our core business is geared to supporting you in developing yours :

If you have a new concept connected to a business that requires liquor licensing, or changes to your existing licensed model - This is what we do best: We find licensing solutions for concepts that don't always fit the categories available in BC. Give us a call, share your ideas, and let us navigate the LCRB and LDB maze on your behalf.

If you have a Ski Season rental property (or any property) that needs a refresh, or furnishings that need replaced, we can bring your vision to life, and provide access to a wide range of custom made furnishings, accents, and consumables at competitive pricing.

We look forward to working with you!

09/23/2025

'Tied Houses' - An Updated LCRB Approach:

This is what the updated LCRB policy on “Tied Houses” says:

Generally, tied house relationships between licensees (specifically liquor primary, food primary, private liquor/wine store, or the business location of a caterer) and manufacturers or agents are prohibited under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act.



“Tied house” refers to a relationship between a manufacturer/agent and another licensee, if the relationship puts the licensee in the position of being likely to promote the sale of that manufacturer’s/agent’s liquor products over another manufacturer. A tied house relationship may result in the licensee benefitting more when they sell the liquor of that manufacturer or agent.

In Europe and the UK, these relationships are much more common, with pubs often being owned, or franchised by large Breweries etc. Here ‘Brew Pubs’ are the most common example.

In BC, Directors and officers of a private corporation are now included when determining if a tied house relationship exists. This means if there is a cross over of ownership / shareholders for both a Licensed Manufacturer / Agent; and Hospitality or Retail Liquor establishments they supply liquor to; LCRB may identify this as a “Tied House Relationship”

If you hold a liquor licence that includes ‘Tied House” Terms and Conditions, please feel free to reach out with questions, or support, especially if you want to report a potential “Tied House” association to LCRB; you are seeking to have existing Terms and Conditions modified, or removed; or you want LCRB to consider a “Tied House Exemption” for your licence.

09/23/2025

Streamlined Liquor Applications:

Anyone who has applied for, and made changes to a Liquor Licence in BC will know the pain of collecting all the required documents – This becomes even more challenging if your company has multiple shareholders, and you have to provide Personal Histories and Criminal record Checks for all of them….

Private corporations are now no longer required to report internal or external share transfers (TSE/TSI), except for Manufacturer and Agent licences. This means licensees will not need to submit complex legal entity structures showing every individual shareholder.
Instead, LCRB will now only collect information on directors and officers of private corporations for all liquor application types, except manufacturers and agents.
When applying for a new liquor licence or transfer, all directors and officers of private corporations must now submit a criminal record check and personal history summary form. Private corporations must also now report any changes to their directors or officers (except for Manufacturer and Agent licences).
Private corporations that are applying for a Manufacturer and/or Agent licence, licence transfer, or approval of new shareholders will continue to submit Criminal Record Checks and Personal History Summary forms for all shareholders holding 10% or more voting interest.
Manufacturer and Agent licensees will continue to report external and internal transfers of shares (TSE/TSI).

If a licensee holds both a Manufacturer/Agent licence and any other liquor licence type, they must report both external/internal transfers of shares and changes to directors/officers.

Please reach out to us with any questions, or for your application needs – New Licence Applications and Transfers can always be complex, especially for Corporations. These updated policies help significantly for Hospitality and Retail Licence holders, but a great deal of time, document collation, and follow up with LCRB Case Managers or Analysts is required – We are here to help with this, so you can spend time focussing on your business……