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Liquor Licensing

Liquor Licences are issued by the Provincial Government's Liquor Control and Licensing Branch (LCLB). The LCLB will not issue new liquor licences or amend existing licences for liquor‑primary establishments such as pubs, bars and nightclubs without local government support. The person wishing to apply for a new licence or to amend an existing licence for an establishment located within the City of Nanaimo's jurisdiction should contact the City of Nanaimo to receive a copy of the City's Liquor Licence Application Process and Checklists. Once a copy of the application is received, it will be forwarded to various City departments and the R.C.M.P., and in certain cases to the Downtown Nanaimo Partnership for review.

Information Needed to Apply for a New Licence

All information required under the City's Liquor Licence Application Process and Checklists including:

  • applicant's name, mailing address, telephone/fax number, email address
  • licensee name
  • licence (establishment) address
  • type of licence required (liquor-primary or food-primary)
  • proposed hours of operation
  • seating capacity
  • drawing of establishment
  • proposed activity and entertainment
  • specific markets being targeted
  • noise abatement measures undertaken
  • specifics of staff training
  • community impact statement outlining the proposed establishment's potential for positive and negative impacts on the community

A cheque in the amount of $500 is required to cover the City's portion of the application fee.

Information Needed to Amend an Existing Licence

  • applicant's name, mailing address, telephone/fax number and email address
  • licensee name (as shown on licence)
  • licence (establishment)address
  • type of licence (liquor-primary or food-primary)
  • hours of operation
  • drawing of establishment
  • type of change requested (i.e: name changes, change of hours, entertainment endorsement, structural change, increase in seating capacity, etc.)

A cheque in the amount of $250 is required to cover the City's portion of the application fee.

Information Needed for Special Occasion Licence

  • copy of the Special Occasion Licence (SOL) application form
  • approval from the R.C.M.P.
  • details of the event including the date, hours of operation, site plan, security plan, person capacity, purpose of the event and the name of the non-profit group affiliated with the event.

Publications and Forms:

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