The BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) is the
governmental body responsible for distributing
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
and
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
products in the
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
province of
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
. The BCLDB operates under the Ministry of Finance and was established in 1921. The BCLDB head office is located in
Burnaby
Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrar ...
, with distribution centres in Delta and
Kamloops
Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...
.
The BCLDB is the only organization allowed to purchase, import, and distribute
alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol that acts Alcohol (drug), as a drug and is produced by Ethanol fermentation, fermentat ...
s in British Columbia. They employ more than 4,200 people, and operate nearly 200 liquor and cannabis stores (as of October, 2018) under the
BC Liquor Stores
BC Liquor Stores are a chain of crown corporation retail outlets operated by the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch to distribute alcoholic beverages in the province of British Columbia, Canada. They are accountable to the Attorney Gener ...
and
BC Cannabis Stores
BC Cannabis Stores is a crown corporation chain of retail outlets operated by the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch to distribute cannabis products in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Unlike BC Liquor Stores, BC Cannabis Sto ...
names, found all across the province. The other governmental body which is responsible for regulating and monitoring the industry is the
Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB).
Retail
BC Liquor Stores
As of October 2018, the BCLDB operates 197 liquor stores.
BC Cannabis Stores
On December 5, 2017, the BC provincial government determined that the BC Liquor Distribution Branch would be the sole distributor of non-medical
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
. On October 17, 2018, the day that the
Cannabis Act
The ''Cannabis Act'' (also known as Bill C-45) is a law which legalized recreational cannabis use in Canada in combination with its companion legislation Bill C-46, ''An Act to Amend the Criminal Code''. The law is a milestone in the legal hi ...
took effect, the first cannabis store opened in
Kamloops
Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the South flowing North Thompson River and the West flowing Thompson River, east of Kamloops Lake. It is located in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, w ...
. An online store also operates allowing consumers to purchase cannabis products online which is delivered by mail.
See also
*
Société des alcools du Québec
The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ; ) is a provincial Crown corporation and monopoly in Quebec responsible for the trade of alcoholic beverages within the province.
Organization
The official legislation governing the SAQ's operations a ...
*
Liquor Control Board of Ontario
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is a Crown corporation that retails and distributes alcoholic beverages throughout the Canadian province of Ontario. It is accountable to the Legislative Assembly through the minister of finance. It wa ...
*
Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territ ...
*
Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority
The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (or SLGA) is a Treasury Board crown corporation responsible for the distribution, control and regulation of alcoholic beverages, cannabis and most gambling in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Its ...
*
Manitoba Liquor Control Commission
The Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) was a Crown corporation mandated with regulating, distributing, and selling beverage alcohol in the Canadian province of Manitoba. In 2014, the Manitoba government merged MLCC with the Manitoba L ...
References
External links
BC Liquor Distribution Branch
{{British Columbia crown corporations
Canadian provincial alcohol departments and agencies
Crown corporations of British Columbia
Alcohol in British Columbia
Alcohol monopolies
Alcohol distribution retailers of Canada
Companies based in Burnaby
Cannabis regulatory agencies