Frequently Asked
Questions
What is the AGLC’s role is licensing “safe grad” parties?
The AGLC does not licence ‘safe grad’ after-parties held on privately-owned land or in a person’s private residence.
In April 2011, the AGLC advised all liquor retail outlets, including hotel off-sales, not to issue Special Event liquor licences for functions to take place on privately-owned land or in a person’s private residence, such as bush parties, or after hour 'safe grad' parties.
Special Event licences are issued to bona fide graduation banquets and dances for the provision of liquor service and consumption to those individuals at least 18 years of age.
Special Event licencees have the same responsibilities as other liquor licencees regarding safe and responsible liquor service, hours of service, limiting service to adults, 18 and older and preventing liquor service to intoxicated patrons. AGLC inspectors are responsible for inspecting licensed premises and events. The AGLC is consistent with other provincial jurisdictions regarding the prevention of liquor service to minors.
What is AGLC's policy on nude entertainment?
The policy related to nude entertainment in liquor licensed premises has been in effect since the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) was formed in 1996. There are no plans to alter this policy.
All forms of nude entertainment must be performed in minors prohibited premises, that means no one under the age of 18 would be allowed to enter or remain in the premises.
The policy (Section 5.11.1) states that “nude” means the exposure of genitals (male or female) and/or breasts (female), whether the person is fully or partially unclothed. These body parts are considered exposed if covered only by paint or another non-fabric substance (e.g.,mud, ink, tape, etc.).
The policy is available online in the Liquor Licensee Handbook.
Is a specific liquor licence required for nude entertainment?
All forms of nude entertainment must be performed in minors prohibited premises.
Nude entertainment is allowed at a:
a) Class A Minors Prohibited licensed premises;
b) Class C licensed premises (private establishments); and c) Class A Minors Allowed licensed premises:
i) in a banquet room for a private function; or
ii) that has a licence endorsement prohibiting minors during the hours the nude entertainment is taking place.
The policy is available online in the Liquor Licensee Handbook.
What
role does the provincial government play in Alberta's privatized
liquor industry?
The AGLC administers
and enforces the Gaming and Liquor Act and Regulation, including
maintaining liquor policy, and collects the government’s
flat mark-up on beverage alcohol.
Retailing, warehousing
and distribution of liquor is privatized. Suppliers and agents
must register with the AGLC, and are responsible for all aspects
of ordering, consolidation, shipping, and marketing.
Any liquor products
sold in Alberta must be registered with the AGLC. More information
is available from Connect
Logistics Services Ltd.
What
is the legal drinking age in Alberta?
18 years of age.
I'm
hosting an event at which liquor will be served. How do I get
a liquor licence?
Information on special
event liquor licences is available on the Special
Events Liquor Licences page of this Web site.
How
do I purchase liquor that is not available in Alberta?
Contact the Manager,
Customs & Excise of the AGLC, at 780-447-8696 (Alberta 1-800-272-8876)
Can I bring liquor
back from my vacation outside Alberta?
Q:
I am returning to Alberta after holidaying in the United
States. How much liquor may I bring back with me and
report to Canada Customs? |
| A: You
may have 45.45L in your vehicle, per adult. |
Q:
What if I am arriving by plane? |
A: If your first point
of arrival in Canada (where you clear Canada Customs) is
in Alberta, you may have 9.09L per adult.
If you arrive in a different province, that province's rates
apply.
(i.e., if your plane lands in Vancouver first, B.C.'s rules
apply.) |
Q:
Does it have to be all the same product, or can I bring
in different products? |
| A: Yes, you may have
different products, the total not to exceed 45.45L. |
Q:
Am I still entitled to a duty free entitlement, even
though I have more liquor than my entitlement allows? |
| A: Yes, in so far you
have been out of Canada for more than 48 hours. You still
pay duty on any amount which is in excess of the duty free
quantity |
Q:
Who do I pay import liquor charges to, the Alberta Gaming
and Liquor Commission or Canada Customs? |
| A: Canada Customs will
assess all liquor charges. This will include all Customs
Duty, Excise Duty, Alberta Provincial Mark-up and GST. |
Q:
How much would I expect to pay if I had wine or spirits? |
| A: You will expect to
pay approx. $3.00 per 750ml bottle of wine; Approx. $7.30
per 750ml bottle of spirits. (These amounts are exclusive
of G.S.T.) |
Can
liquor be purchased on-line in Alberta?
Yes. AGLC policy
allows licensed retail liquor stores to advertise their products
on the Internet and allows customers to place orders on-line.
These orders must be delivered by the retailer or a Class D licensee
(e.g., delivery service). The licensee is responsible for not
selling/delivering to minors or intoxicated persons.
AGLC policy does
not allow 'virtual' or 'e-commerce'-only liquor stores. All licensees
must have a physical store location.
The AGLC does not
have information about which retailers provide on-line services.
What
are minimum drink prices?
Minimum drink prices
are rules designed to make Alberta's drinking establishments
safer for staff and patrons. These rules eliminate cheap drink
specials, regulate the duration of ‘happy hours’ and
limit last-call drink orders in licensed premises. The then (2008) Solicitor
General and Minister of Public Security Fred Lindsay explained
these rules “...are not meant to interfere with responsible
patrons – they are designed to limit the liquor consumption
of those drinkers who don’t wish to set their own limits.”
Beginning August
1, 2008, the following Minimum drink prices were enacted:
| Item |
Min. Price |
| Spirits and liqueurs |
$ 2.75 |
| Wine |
$ 0.35/oz. ($1.75/5
oz. glass) |
| Draught beer |
$ 0.16/oz. ($3.20/20
oz. pint) |
Beer, cider or coolers
in cans or bottles |
$ 2.75/12 oz. bottle
or can |
Happy hours |
Licensees
may reduce the regular menu price of drinks, but drinks
can not be sold for less than the regular menu price after
8 p.m. At no time, even during ‘happy hours’,
can a drink be sold for less than the new minimum price. |
Maximum
drink order |
The
maximum number and size of drinks that may be sold or served
to a patron after 1 a.m. is limited to two standard servings
per order – one standard serving is one ounce per
highball or one bottle or can of beer. Also, a patron can’t
have more than two drinks in their possession after 1 a.m. |
Do
minimum drink prices apply to private events?
There are two types
of Special Event liquor licences that deal with private events
such as weddings, community parties or team fundraisers:
- Private Resale Licence: Allows a licensee
to sell liquor to guests at a private event.
The event organizers are free to set whatever price for liquor
they feel is appropriate.
- Private Non-Sale Licence: Allows a licensee
to provide free liquor to guests at a private
event. The licensee is not allowed to charge any money for
liquor.
There are a number
of other conditions that licensees must follow in regard to hosting
a licensed event. These conditions are printed on the back of
the licence. Special Events licences can be purchased at most
retail liquor stores. The person who is purchasing the licence
must choose between Private Resale and Private
Non-Sale at the time of purchase.
Q:
We are considering having a “toonie bar” for
our wedding reception at a community hall. Do the new
rules for minimum drink prices apply to us? |
| A: The minimum drink
price policies that went into effect in Alberta on August
1, 2008 do not apply to liquor sales or service under a Special
Event liquor licence. |
Can
staff working at a licensed establishment consume liquor while
working?
Licensees will normally
not allow on duty staff to consume liquor or be under the influence
of liquor. However, staff may consume a beverage after the end
of a shift provided the beverage is paid for during permitted
hours of liquor sales authorized on the licence.
For more information,
please read section 8.2.30 and 8.2.31 of the Liquor
Licensee Handbook.
Where
can I find information on the different types of liquor licences
required in Alberta?
Go to the AGLC's liquor
licences page.
Can
I serve homemade wine at my wedding/reception?
No. Under legislation,
homemade wine, cider, and/or beer may not be served or consumed
at any licensed function. Homemade products can only be legally
served in a private residence.
I
am interested in importing and distributing liquor products into
Alberta. How do I go about this?
Only AGLC registered
liquor agencies are authorized to import a supplier’s product.
You may contact the AGLC at 780-447-8600 (in Alberta, dial 310-0000
for toll free access) to receive a Liquor Agency Information
Package, which contains:
- information outlining the requirements for the registration
of a liquor agency
- current legislation governing liquor products
- policy guidelines on liquor advertising and product promotions
- Canadian labelling requirements (followed in Alberta)
- quality and health standards
- New Product Information Form (used to register a new product)
- how to calculate the wholesale price of your products, and
- how the warehouse is operated and the associated charges
To become a registered
liquor agency in Alberta, the applicant must have a Canadian
company and be incorporated in Alberta. If the company is outside
Alberta, you must obtain extra-provincial registration or be
registered under the Business Corporations Act of Alberta. There
is a $200 non-refundable fee to register a liquor agency.
I work for a registered liquor agency. Where can I find AGLC's
- New Product Registration Form and/or
- AGLC's Price Change Request Form?
There are three options:
- A hard copy of either form can be mailed or faxed to you by calling 780-447-8833
- Electronic versions of the forms can be sent via email to you. Please submit a request to:
a) product@aglc.ca for the New Product Information Form or to
b) pricing@aglc.ca for the Price Change Request Form
- Internet Account – you can set up an internet account to receive access to the electronic copies of these forms on our website.
I work for a registered liquor agency or a licensed liquor establishment. Is there a way I can review price changes on your website?
Yes, you can set up an Internet Account to gain access to that information at this link.
Where
can I return liquor bottles?
All liquor containers
can be returned for a full deposit at any bottle depot. There
are more than two hundred bottle depots located throughout Alberta.
Visit the Beverage Container
Management Board's website to get the addresses and hours
of operation for all bottle depots.
What
is Bring your own Bottle or BYOW?
After consulting
with liquor and food service industry stakeholders, changes have
been made to provincial liquor laws and policies to permit patrons
to bring their own wine to participating restaurants, remove
partially consumed wine from a restaurant, and to permit commercial
catering companies to be licensed to serve/sell liquor at public
and private events.
More information
about BYOW is available on the Responsible
Liquor Services page of this Web site and BYOW
participating locations.
I'm
interested in working for AGLC. Where can I send my resume?
Please check our Employment
Opportunities page. You may fax your resume to 780-447-8918,
or mail your resume to:
Human
Resources
Alberta Gaming and Liquor
Commission
50 Corriveau Ave
St. Albert AB T8N3T5
Please ensure that
you quote the competition number on your resume.
|
