Welcome to Restaurant
Regulations made easy in British Columbia.

The BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, in partnership with the Province of BC, have created this web site to make it easy to find the government regulations that apply to the food service industry in BC. Within this web site you will find:  

• Information about all regulations affecting the industry and what they mean
• Tips to help you avoid problems, stay legal and work with government
• Lists of the permits and licences you need to build, renovate and operate a food service business
• Links to the forms you need to apply for permits and licences (if available on line)
• Links to government sites for more detailed information
• A list of records you must keep and have available for a government inspector

Whether you are new to the industry or have owned or managed a restaurant for many years, this site makes it easy to get all the information you need to meet government's requirements.

Before you start, a few definitions:
There are three types of government that implement regulations

• Local or municipal – this is the government of the city, town, or municipality in which you operate your business
• Provincial: the Government of the Province of BC
• Federal: the Government of Canada

Each government has different responsibilities:

Municipal governments make regulations (often called by-laws) covering local interests such as building, zoning, noise, parking, signs, hours of operation and heritage buildings.  By-laws will differ from city to city.   What is allowed in one municipality might not be allowed in another.  
When you see the term “City Hall” within this site, it means local government.  You will often find services provided by City Hall in one location or a few locations close by each other.

Provincial Government is responsible for Labour; Employment Standards, Human Rights, Worksafe (Workers’ Compensation) Liquor licensing and sales, Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and Public Health.  The Provincial Government has offices throughout BC and most larger population cities have a government agency centre.  We've included toll free numbers, local numbers and web site addresses for offices you may need to contact.

TIP: If you plan to visit a government office in person,  phone to ask if you can make an appointment. Also try to visit during their slow times, otherwise you may experience a significant wait time.

Federal Government collects the Goods and Services Tax (GST), income tax  (yours and your employees), Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) payments; provides Employment Insurance benefits, regulates immigration and foreign citizens’ working permits, and issues Social Insurance numbers. They inspect and charge taxes on imported food items or supplies. The Federal government also inspects and grades Canadian agricultural products such as meat and grains.  

NOTE: Regulations can be confusing; and even more so when they appear to conflict, overlap or duplicate each other.  When you see this symbol ♦ it means there are 2 or more regulations you need to be aware of.  We explain what they are, why and how they affect the way you operate your restaurant.

NOTE: Be sure to keep an eye out for real life examples of particular regulations. You will find these titled "Don't let this happen to you!" at the bottom of the pages.

Can’t find what you want? We welcome your comments and suggestions.