Liquor Compliance – MAP Program Checks

08 Feb Liquor Compliance – MAP Program Checks

Sting Compliance Programs

The Minors as Agents Program (“MAP”) is one of the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch’s (now British Columbia Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch – BCLCRB) most powerful tools to achieve compliance. It was first introduced as a new compliance check project whereby “youthful-appearing adults” were recruited to attempt to purchase liquor on the Branch’s behalf from retail outlets. In 2010, the Branch established the Minors as Agents Program through an amendment to the Act. The amendment provided authority for a minor, employed or contracted by the Province, to legally purchase liquor from all types of liquor retail outlets and licensed establishments for the purpose of testing licensee compliance with the Act’s prohibition on supplying liquor to a minor. The legislation also provided for the Branch to take appropriate enforcement action against licensees when there are incidents of non-compliance.

They seemed to diminish for a bit during the pandemic, but they are back.

Sting Compliance Programs have been helping liquor licensees avoid that $7,000 – $11,000 fine and possible closures, by proving their due diligence, since 2010 as well. Our youthful looking (aged 19-25) agents conduct Liquor Control Board Regulation compliance checks of your licensed establishments; verify your staff is checking for two pieces of ID, not serving of intoxicated patrons, evaluate customer service and problem resolution. Our clients receive pass or fail compliance rates of their staff as the shops are validated. Our Online Report Portal shows every compliance shop ever done at your location(s) and it details that you are taking Compliance seriously.

Our programs can consist of monthly, quarterly, or we have programs where every attendant on your team is checked at once to be sure. Sting also has New Employee Programs where we help you make sure that the new hire is following compliance before they are given full responsibilities.

Every liquor licensee must anticipate that your business will be inspected by a MAP agent.

The best thing you can do to prepare is your due diligence:

1. Train them on the importance of compliance and
2. Test that they are following policies BEFORE the MAP agent comes in.
3. Document both the training and the testing (we can help with that too).

For more information on Sting’s Alcohol and Cannabis Compliance Programs, please click here.

For more information on Liquor and Cannabis Regulation, please click here.