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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. |