New federal Canadian traceability regulations aimed at improving consumer and public safety will come into effect July 15, 2020.  

The additional links provide in-depth information on the new federal regulations.

Safe Food For Canadians Regulations (SFCR)

Understanding Safe food for Canadians Regulations

Regulatory Requirements for Traceability

Traceability Factsheet

Traceability Handbook

Questions and Answers

Ask CFIA Portal

Ways to Contact the CFIA

Please review and download the communications featured below that are appropriate to your licence type.

The wholesale product registration policy applies to all liquor product registrations with the LDB. Please download and review the policy featured below. 

In response to industry concerns and to provide urgent support for B.C.’s licensed establishments, the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) has taken action to implement Policy Directive 20-02 which allows hospitality licensees who have temporarily closed to sell their existing liquor stock to hospitality licensees who remain operational and/or LRS. 

This temporary change takes effect immediately, and is in effect until November 30, 2020 or as otherwise directed by government.

Please review the minimum wholesale price chart below.

This policy provides a definition of growlers and clarifies how manufacturers register liquor products sold in growlers with the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB).

This policy clarifies the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) rules around use of generic seasonal stock keeping units (SKUs) for BC manufacturers.

Core Size Policy for Spirit Products

Policy Update

Please be aware that we have made a slight adjustment to our policy related to the standard core size for spirits.  While the policy continues to follow the Canadian Association of Liquor Jurisdictions (CALJ) Core Size Agreement, we have updated the exception criteria so that a non-standard bottle size may only be approved for registration if the product is premium priced. It also provides a more simple set of guidelines and ensures that consumers continue to have access to premium products.

If you have any questions, please contact Vendor Relations at ldbagentinfo@bcldb.com.

Core Size Policy

The LDB follows the Core Size Agreement, developed in conjunction with the Canadian Association of Liquor Jurisdictions (CALJ), for the registration of distilled spirits and non-spirits bearing spirit names.  Standard core sizes for distilled spirits and non-spirits bearing spirit names in containers less than three litres are:

• 50 ml
• 200 ml
• 375 ml
• 750 ml
• 1.14 litres
• 1.75 litres

Standard core sizes for Duty Free distilled spirits and non-spirits bearing spirit names are:

• 1 litre
• 1.5 litres

A non-standard bottle size may only be approved for registration if the product is premium priced Liquor Wholesale Supply Chain may reserve the right to delist any non-core-sized product, should it be found that its price has been reduced to below the premium price.

Definitions

Premium Price: At least $50 per litre wholesale selling price.

Wholesale Selling Price:  Duty paid cost plus provincial mark-up.

Notes

This policy applies to all domestic and imported distilled spirits and non-spirits which bear spirit names and does not apply to spirit-based refreshment beverages.

CALJ Product Identification Standards for Use in the Distribution of Beverage Alcohol

To ensure your product meets the federal requirements, please review and download the updated 2018 Canadian Association of Liquor Jurisdictions document outlining the Product Identification Standards for use in the Distribution of Beverage Alcohol.

Highlights of revisions made to the 2018 edition include:
• alignment of UCC/EAN definitions, terminologies and nomenclature with GS-1 and GTIN
• updated references and links to GS1 documents, standards and manuals
• adoption of GS1 GTIN allocation rules and conditions for reuse and reassignment of Item Numbers
• addition of hyperlinks to internal and external references
• removal of outed information and references
• document layout reformatted

LDB Social Responsibility Label Regulations

In addition, it is mandatory for all agents and suppliers to submit a product label photograph with all new packaged product registrations. Our Vendor Relations Team will review the label to ensure it meets the LDB's social responsibility criteria. The LDB Label Regulations for social responsibility is also available for download below. 

This policy clarifies the social responsibility criteria  applied to all products to determine whether or not a product will be registered for sale in British Columbia.

Organizations that represent out-of-province liquor suppliers, as determined by the LDB, and that have a Special Event Permit, may purchase out-of-province liquor for use at tasting events at the wholesale price. Please review the policy and other relevant information below.

Charities and non-profit organizations that have a Special Event Permit (SEP) may receive donations of liquor product(s) from agents and manufacturers. Please review the policy and other relevant information below.

Updated April 11, 2022

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) authorized licensed manufacturers to use their establishments to manufacture, package, sell and donate alcohol-based sanitizer and hand sanitizer (sanitizers).

 The temporary authorizations currently expire as follows:

• Authorization to use establishments to manufacture and/or package sanitizers expires 30 days after the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) announces that B.C. has entered Step 4 of its Restart Plan.

• Authorization to use establishments to sell or donate sanitizers expires six months after the authorization to use establishments to manufacture and package sanitizers expires.

The Provincial Health Officer lifted mask mandates on March 11, 2022 and announced the vaccine card requirement will be lifted on April 8, 2022. The General Manager of the LCRB considers the lifting of these requirements to be equivalent to the Province entering Step 4 of the Restart Plan.

As such, the temporary authorizations will expire as follows:  

• The authorization for manufacturers to use their establishments to manufacture and/or package sanitizers expires at end of day on May 8, 2022.

• The authorization for manufacturers to use their establishments to sell or donate sanitizers expires six months later, at end of day on November 8, 2022.

This means that craft distilleries acquiring neutral grain spirit (NGS) or other alcohol for the purpose of producing sanitizer must dispose of any leftover NGS/alcohol as of May 8, 2022.

The LCRB’s directives can be found here.

Please refer to the LDB’s communication below outlining LDB requirements for when the temporary authorization expires on May 8, 2022.