The Voice of Your Industrybc restaurant news

Nov / Dec 2011

What it means for RestaurantsBC Liquor Laws

Can-Pourshot glass

Are You Ready forFlu Season?

inside...Features

education

MeMbership

Letters to the Editor 5Top 10 70.05 Law 8 Featured Drink 11Shake the Salt 12

President’s Message 3Chair’s Message 4Newsmakers 19Twitter Listings 20Upcoming Events 21New Members 21Member Benefits 21

Ingredients for Success 14 Sysco Goes Green 16Can-Pour 17Ask The Expert 18

Ian Tostenson

A Message From the President

There has never been another time in BC politics like there is today. When I first wrote this piece the BC Liberal Government was just jumping into leadership

renewal mode, and now less than a week later Carole James has also announced her resignation as the leader of the oppo-sition. Meanwhile amongst all the political upheaval, a 10 bil-lion dollar industry has been battered from the economy, HST, .05 driving regulations and now the very real possibility of an increased minimum wage. Industry sales have declined any-where from 10-40%, and many businesses are on the verge of closing. This is extreme survival. As your Association we promise to hold to task each of the potential leadership contenders. What will they do to reverse the damage? Who, if anyone, is willing to put a pre-mium value on the 170,000 workers (many students) and the 12,000 business owners that are such a vital element of the small business community and culture of our province? We also vow to address the pain being felt by the suppliers of industry. We at the BCRFA are fully engaged to do what we can to reverse the current trends. Our purpose is driven by our mission; CONNECT, INFORM, ADVOCATE - we are the CIA of the Restaurant Industry & we are here to help.To all of our valued members, partners and directors, we would like to wish you all a very happy holiday season, and a prosperous New Year.

out of the ordinary

NOV / DEC 2011 | 3

The BCRFA is pleased to introduce Rob Fussey as the new chair of the BCRFA’s Provincial board. Rob is the Director of Urban Concept Development with A&W restaurants and has been with the company for almost 30 years!

A Message from the New Chair

This being my first message as the Chair, I would first like to acknowledge the challenges that we have all faced over the last couple of years. The recession, the introduction of the

HST and the new higher penalties for blood alcohol over 0.05 are transformational in how we manage our restaurants.By being a member of the BCRFA you make a difference by ensuring we understand the challenges that you encounter in trying operating a successful business that works to grow sales and profits each and every year. I would like to hear from you about what you would like from your association as we work to provide you with great value. Working together we can and we will achieve our shared goals when we unleash our entrepreneurial energies to focus on issues that affect us all.I have been involved with the association for many years and I am very proud to be here today as your Chairman of the Board. I am thankful of the association’s efforts that we have all benefited from over the years and I know that this advocacy will continue on your behalf in the coming year. We must work hard to ensure we have business conditions that are favorable for a vibrant and growing res-taurant industry in British Columbia. Your membership fee allows us to work to this end and I thank you for renewing your membership and allowing us to represent you and your business. Email Rob at rfussey@aw.ca

Rob Fussey

4 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

letters to the editor

Dear BCRFA,The current strictness of penalty laws enacted in BC - designed to dissuade DRUNK drivers from driving are not effective in this regard but are proving effec-tive at dissuading responsible drinking drivers from enjoying a responsible life.DRUNK drivers don’t care about the laws. Shooting DRUNK drivers through the heads of BC’s responsible citizens is simply wrong and not effective.I would like to see the BCRFA

start a blog where people can voice their displeasure with the current situation. I am aware that Minister Coleman is reviewing police discretion issues but this is not enough. We need to really penalize DRUNK drivers who actually cause problems for other drivers or whom are dis-covered in police checks.... so long as the officer has a reason to demand a breath sample.Suggest to name the blog and the movement either DAMM or RDAMM. Drivers Against Mad Mothers (Drinkers Against Mad Mothers) or Responsible Drinkers Against Mad Mothers.Put an ad noting the site in the local papers and advise your membership so they can post in their businesses.

Cheers

A responsible BC Driver who enjoys a glass of wine with dinner.

Last month many of our letters focused on HST, which has no doubt been detrimental to the industry, however, since the new 0.05 legislation was introduced we have been flooded with etters from consumers and business owners stating their growing alarm over the new 0.05 liquor legislation. Here is what you had to say this month:

the industry’s thoughts on 0.05

“To be comfortable with consuming alcohol at a

restaurant or bar we would like to be able to test our alcohol level before we leave so that we know

if we are legally able to drive.” – Carolyn

Dear BCRFA,I don’t know if it would be feasible, but why not have restaurants and bars purchase a ‘police grade’ Breathalyzer for customers to use before leaving and being able to then test if they are below the legal limit? Cheaper in the long run than a driving service or paying for taxis, etc., I imagine.

Colin

The current strictness of penalty laws enacted in

BC... are proving effective at dissuading responsible

drinking drivers from enjoying a responsible

life.” – Anon

Do you have something to say? Email your letters to bcrn@bcrfa.com

NOV / DEC 2011 | 5

Feature

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B.C. Restaurants and Foodservices Associa-tion president and CEO Ian Tostenson said the planned recalibrations don’t go far enough to avert what may be a dismal holiday season for the hospitality industry.“It represents baby steps,” Tostenson said. “It is not enough in my opinion that is going to change anything really substantially.”He wants the province to reduce the penalties that apply in the warn range, or give police more discretion to waive them.“The problem is not the people who we scared who would love to have a glass of wine or two with their meal,” Tostenson said, adding the gov-ernment should concentrate on punishing those who actually exceed 0.08.

BC Local News© Jeff Nagel, 2010 BC Local News

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Since the new penalties came into effect in September, business at restaurants and bars has dropped by 15 to 30 per cent, said Ian Tostenson, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association.“I’m very impressed that Rich Coleman and the government are prepared to take a second look at this,” he said in an interview. “The impacts have been horrendous.”He said he supports the education campaign but said it isn’t enough. He said the government still needs to “lighten up” on the penalties for people who are found in the warning category with a blood-alcohol level over .05 per cent but under .08. In those cases, penalties include an immediate three-day driving ban and a $200 fine for a first offence.

BCRFA speaks to the media on 0.05

6 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

Feature

Feature

NOV / DEC 2011 | 7

Top 10...

defend viruses and bacteria. Eating hearty meals filled with vitamins and nutrients as well as drinking water will help boost your immune system.

5. Cough in the CrookCover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. If a tissue is unavail-able, cough or sneeze into your elbow. Avoid covering with your hands, but if the inevitable hap-pens, make sure to wash them immediately.

6. Don’t Touch ItKeep your hands away from your face and mouth. Wash your hands before brushing your teeth or inserting contact lenses.

7. Green Cleaning ProgramThe workplace is a high-risk infection area, and about 1 in 3 workers are likely to become sick. It is critical to keep work spaces clean to reduce the potential of cross contamination. Cleaners that use heavy chemi-cals have been linked to growing health and safety concerns and there is a shift towards greener cleaning products. These prod-ucts claim to be effective against viruses responsible for the spread of the flu. Although not a substitute for the kill of mold, these products are suitable for other disinfections.

1. Hand WashingIt is the single most effective way of preventing infection. Germs are everywhere and your hands are at the front line. Wash hands before you eat or handle food, and again after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, han-dling garbage or returning home from work. Use proper hand washing techniques. Sanitizer is a good alternative when soap and water are not available. Make sure soap and towels are available to both staff and cus-tomers.

2. Proper HygieneIt goes without saying that keeping clean is critical for the spread of infection. Hand washing is only a part of hygiene; showering and having clean clothes and linens is just as important.

3. EducatePost signs around the establish-ment for kitchen and dining staff to wash their hands. Remind cleaning staff of the importance of disinfecting all areas to reduce the spread of germs.

4. Eat, Drink, Sleep, & ExerciseRegular exercise, meals and sleep have been proven to

ways to fight the flu

8. Fingers OutWhen bussing tables, make sure your staff aren’t putting their fingers inside the glasses, or touching the used utensils.

9. Flu ShotsVaccination is a highly effective in preventing the flu, as it is cre-ated to fight the new strand each year.

10. Response PlanIdentify where the flu will impact your business: the loss of cus-tomers and employees due to sickness, and costs from paid sick days. Be prepared for increases in take-out and delivery services. Set up a system that can monitor the health of your employees and talk to your insurance broker about a business interruption service. Having a plan will make it easier if your establishment is hit hard with an epidemic.

do you know?The flu affects 150,000 people and is the cause of 30,000-40,000 deaths each year!

Source: www.flufacts.com

Written by Jeanette LeBlanc

The newly introduced & tougher impaired driving laws have no doubt affected a great many people in, ranging from consumers and licensed establishments to distributors. Even the BC Liquor Distribution Board’s

sales have been affected, which in turn directly affects the revenue the gov-ernment takes in from tax collection. While BC’s Solicitor General, Rich Coleman recently announced a review of the province’s tough drinking laws after learning about the new laws’ unintended consequences on the bars, restaurants, and wineries, it is imperative that businesses understand the changes in the law, your increased liabilities, and what you can do to stay ahead until potential-reform takes place.New Rules or New Interpretation? The same blood alcohol threshold has been in place since 1977; and the blood alcohol level of 0.05 has always been a warning range for impaired driving, but the penalties for falling into the warning zone have now increased. Police in B.C. can now issue an immediate roadside prohibition to an impaired driver with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of .05 or higher. (The BAC is based on a breath sample into a roadside screening device.) The vehicle the person is driving can also be immediately taken off the road and impounded for three to 30 days. Costs related to these offences can add up to an estimated $600 to $4,060—even if it’s the first time a driver is caught. Business must also face the reality that some organizations are in full support of this change in drunk-driving awareness, such as MADD Canada, and that while currently on the table,reform may not occur. MADD Canada recently issued a statement encouraging businesses affected to work within the new laws. http://www.madd.ca/english/news/pr/p20100929.htmLorne P.S. Folick, Senior Partner of Dolden Wallace Folick LLP wrote an informative article outlining the changes in the tougher impaired driving

Don’t Throw In Your Bar Towel Just Yet

BC’s new liquor law enforcements, potential reform and where to now?

NOV / DEC 2010 | 9

• Call the police if an intoxicated person insists on driving home.

EducatE EmployEEsEducate your staff about Safe Ride Home practices your

establishment can offer: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/rpt/rides.htm

DID YOU KNOW? British Columbia laws provide the flexibility needed to enable establishments that offer alcoholic bev-erages to get their patrons home safely. In addition to traditional operators such as taxis, limousines, shuttles, and “designated driver “services, other types of passenger transportation services can operate legally in B.C.Safe Ride Home Informa-tion for Establishments Serving Alcoholic Bever-ages, may:• Offer a “designated driver” service• Provide a free shuttle service for their patrons• Establish a contract with existing fee-based

transportation service providers (ex. taxi)• Operate a fee-based shuttle service

smallEr portionsLow-alcohol menu options, offer sample pours of wines paired with menu items. Bars offer half sleeves (UK has been doing this for years). Half shot beverage menu and wines by the glass options.

takE-out mEnusRemind your customers that you offer take-out menu options, and consider adding this to your menu, if you don’t already. Consumers are dining in at home more but if you offer take-away options, offer a coupon to return for dine-in discounts.

laws and what licensed establish-ments must know and be more mindful of. He concludes the article reminding everyone, “The new impaired driving laws are further confirmation that drinking and driving will not be tolerated by society, and the new penalties imposed on drivers reflect this growing intolerance. The time is now for licensed establishments to educate them-selves and their staff about the changes in these laws, and to ensure that they implement the best practices set out in the Serving It Right program. Read the full article here For more information concerning best practices for licensed establish-ments and the changes to the impaired driving laws under the Act, please visit www.go2hr.ca, www.servingitright.com

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

train EmployEEsTrain your staff to monitor patron consumption and inquire as to how intoxicated patron(s) maybe get-ting home. Continue to follow best practices out-lined in Serving It Right program:• Establish and implement written house poli-

cies to address all issues, including monitoring of consumption by patrons. All staff needs to be trained upon hiring and employers should pro-vide regular ongoing training for their staff.

• To ensure proper implementation and compli-ance, regular meetings should be held with staff.

• Consider promoting a designated driver program to promote customer safety.

• Do not sell or give liquor to an intoxicated person or allow a person to become intoxicated.

• Monitor the consumption of all patrons carefully, and take comments or concerns raised by other patrons seriously.

• Follow up with intoxicated patrons who appear to be heading for a vehicle. If there is any doubt whether an intoxicated person has a safe ride home, call a taxi and be sure to watch the person get into the taxi.

Feature

10 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

“The time is now for licensed establishments to educate themselves

and their staff about the changes in these laws”

At the BCRFA we are working hard on your behalf to mitigate the impact this new legislation is having on your business. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Ian Tostenson, President/CEO

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Feature

Drink of the Monthninth night2 oz. Citrus Vodka1 oz. Triple Sec1 oz. white cranberry juiceLemon-lime sodaLime juice

Mix vodka, Triple Sec, and the cranberry juice in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a tall glass with ice. Top with soda and lots of fresh lime juice.

Shake the Salt & Keep the Taste

12 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

Feature

Some food and nutrition trends don’t change very much. Taste always

comes out on top for customers and there is no reason to think this will change. And while the latest report from the Canadian Council of Food and Nutrition backs up that taste is still number one, what is noteworthy is that nutrition is a pretty close second. Increasingly Canadians are looking for dishes that are not only good to their taste buds but also good for their health.Salt is an important nutrient that we need in our diet, but we are consuming too much of it. In fact, Canadians consume more than 3,500 mg of sodium (the main ingredient in salt) each day. We should be consuming between 1,500 – 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, which is about one tea-spoon of salt. Too much sodium increases the risk for high blood pressure (hypertension) and it has been estimated that high levels of sodium consumption are responsible for one million hyper-

tension cases per year. In all about five million Canadian adults have hypertension which is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. Most of the salt that Canadians eat (almost 80%) comes from pack-aged foods and the meals we buy when dining out. Only about 10 percent of the sodium Canadians consume we shake on ourselves at the table, and the remaining amount of salt in our diets is natu-rally occurring in foods.Canadians love to eat out and they want menu choices that are both delicious and nutritious. Restaurants have an important role to play in delivering on both of these fronts. Here are some tips for restaurants to help their customers cut back on salt:• Offer nutrition information for all menu items to allow consumers to make informed, healthy choices.

• Leave the salt shaker off the tables and offer fresh ground pepper and other spice options when meals are served.

• Make broth, sauces and gravy from scratch, and if adding salt, limit the amount.

• Use fresh or dried herbs, spices, flavoured vinegars or lemon juice instead of salt to enhance flavour.

• Beware of prepared condiments such as ketchup, relish, and soy sauce which can be high in sodium. Bottled salad dressing can also be high in both sodium and fat.

• Check the nutrition facts on all ingredients and choose ingre-dients that are lower in sodium such as sodium-reduced soy sauce. Ask your suppliers for low-sodium ingredients.

Written by Julie LauRegistered Dietitian, Heart and Stroke Foundation

To learn more about Health Check contact Julie Lau, Registered Dietitian, Heart and Stroke Foundation at 604.726.5772 or jlau@hsf.ca or visit healthcheck.org.

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14 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

heater in a restaurant or com-mercial kitchen lasts between three and eight years. Before your water heater retires, con-sider upgrading to a high-effi-ciency model. John Phelps, the owner of a popular pizza restaurant in Pent-icton, BC, did just that, replacing his older hot water storage tanks with a new high-efficiency on-demand system that can supply all the hot water his busy opera-tion needs. A standard efficiency storage tank water heater may only be about 60 per cent efficient. That means for every dollar you spend heating the water, only 60 cents worth of energy heats water. With today’s newer condensing technology you can expect that figure to go as high as 95 per cent. The pur-chase price of a high-efficiency or condensing water heater is more,

It’s no secret that, in your res-taurant, you rely on quality ingredients like fresh, local

produce, fish, and organically raised meat and poultry to create the mouth-watering menus that attract your customers. Without them you’d be out of business. But there’s one more key ingre-dient that you rely on daily to keep your kitchen operating safely and effectively. Hot water. It’s so fundamental that your busi-ness wouldn’t be able to operate without it—even for a day. Heating water accounts for approximately 14 per cent* of total natural gas usage in the commer-cial sector, even more in restau-rants and commercial kitchens. In fact, an average size, sit-down restaurant may spend between $500 and $700 a month to heat its water. Depending on usage, a water

but even so, you’ll notice sav-ings right away on your monthly energy bill due to reduced heating costs. And for Phelps, the new water heater takes up much less valuable space in his 1,650 square foot establishment.To help offset the capital cost and encourage its customers to use more efficient equip-ment, Terasen Gas is offering generous rebates ranging from $125 for small on-demand water heaters to as high as $15,000 for large storage tank water heaters that are at least 90 per cent effi-cient. The application process is simple. “I just got the form online and sent it off,” said Phelps. “It was quite easy.” To learn more about how you may qualify for a rebate visit ter-asengas.com and choose the For Business tab, or call toll-free at 1-866-884-8833, option 1.

Ingredients for Success

*Marbek Resource Consultants, April 2006

NOV / DEC 2011 | 15

Ingredients for Success

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Today’s commercial water heaters offer efficiencies of up to

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worth of hot water. Install an efficient water heater and you could be

helping yourself to a rebate from Terasen Gas. More hot water for your

money—now that’s something you can sink your teeth into.

To find out how, visit terasengas.com

*Terasen Gas reserves the right to cancel this program at any time. Not available in Whistler.

When you install a high-efficiency water heater

Sysco Kelowna, 2010 recipients of a Green Business Award and Mayor’s Environmental Achievement Award, completed a two month

long Green Department Design Challenge this summer and the results exceeded expectations. The apprentice themed challenge was arranged by Sysco’s Business Review Manager, Dailene Cowles and GreenStep Vice President, Lindsay Eason, a local company helping businesses take a fresh approach to improving their bottom line by empowering employees and making a positive environmental impact. “The ultimate goal was to makeover their workspace to enhance work atmo-sphere and help the environment while becoming truly engaged in Sysco’s sustainability strategy” says Eason.CEO Rob Cinkant was impressed beyond words at the research and dedication of the associates that took part. Some of the ideas amounted to huge cost savings from simple solutions such as finding a new source to take used pallets, saving up to $7,800 per year in hauling, staffing and tip-ping fees to deliver them to the landfill. Another huge winner was installing a dishwasher in the staff lunchroom, which will cost $236 in energy, water and dish detergent annually compared to nearly $4,000 per year in disposable dishes and

cups, not to mention the reduction in waste and carbon emissions. Teams were created based on physical office space, creating an interdepartmental team building exercise. Rather than becoming just another thing to do on top of their already big workload, Sysco Associates had fun reorganizing and redecorating their offices and bonus areas and were amazed at the difference it made. Teams had to complete a number of tasks and within their budget and time, they were busy finding deals, painting, weeded and purchasing new recy-cling containers. One team even engaged an entire class of grade six students from Chute Lake Elementary to imagine Sysco in the future if we live more sustainably, or if we do nothing. The resulting posters are still displayed in Sysco’s boardroom. There were also incentive prizes and each team had to present their changes to the judges. The most dedicated team member was nominated to receive a special gift, while each person on the winning team received a barbecue prize package from Sysco. “Using the knowledge and passion within each associate, we have proved that there are enormous benefits and opportunities that come from strong teamwork and employee engagement” adds Eason.

Going Greengreen department challenge creates big cost savings at Sysco Kelowna

16 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

Education

Measuring UpCan-Pour shot glasses saving businesses thousands

NOV / DEC 2011 | 17

Currently 98.4% of licensees pour with a traditional ounce shot glass, measuring at 30mL. Canadian Liquor Control and

Licensing laws state that licensees must pour a Canadian ounce, which measures at 28.4mL, leaving 2mL unaccounted for. This discrepancy adds up over time; Kyle Tweter and Dan Wilson, owners of three establishments in Vancouver, were audited last year for a five-year span and were thousands of dollars short in liquor. Not knowing where this alcohol went, they contacted Bevinco, a beverage inventory man-agement company. It was together with Bevinco, that Tweeter and Wilson determined the shot glasses they were using were not up to Canadian Liquor Licensing standards. These shot glasses were the standard ounce (or 30mL) glasses avail-able to all restaurants in British Columbia. Unaware of the difference in imperial and metric ounces, suppliers were only carrying an Amer-ican Fluid Ounce shot glass. Tweeter and Wilson decided to take matters into their own hands and create a glass that was up to Canadian standards measuring 28mL.They got in touch with a manufacturer in China, and after a few failing test glasses, decided to fly over to oversee the final design. They opted for a thicker wall rather than the base to make Can-Pour shot glasses look almost identical to traditional glasses

What does it mean for restaurants:Using the traditional shot glass, 38 drinks can be

poured per 1.14L bottle, while a Canadian ounce shot glass would pour 40.7 shots. In a letter from the District Manager of Measurement Canada, Can-Pour was tested and found to dispense 28mL, which is consistent and within the Limits of Error for Commodities in accordance with Restaurant Industry practices. This proven shot glass allows restaurants to main-tain their revenue while purchasing 7% less alcohol. Can-Pour predicts for every $1000 spent on liquor each month there will be $70 in savings. This adds up quickly over time, with annual savings of $840 (if $1000 is spent on liquor each month).

What does it mean for customers:Customers want to get the most for their money, and alcohol is no exception. While news of this new shot glass might have the consumer feeling cheated, the fact of the matter is there are new drinking and driving laws in effect, and this shot glass not only adheres to Canadian standards, but allows the customer to know exactly how much they have had to drink. Monitoring their precise intake of alcohol will allow them be to be more confident when stopped at road-blocks, as breathalyzers are based on Canadian measure-ment standards.Can-Pour is currently distributed through Sysco and soon through GFS.

Education

Written by Candice Harvey

Ask the ExpertGillian talks dress code

18 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

Education

uniForms A uniform identifies your employees. It can be a shirt with an identifiable pattern; an apron or shirt with a logo; a specified brand of pants; a tuxedo. If employees wear a uniform, you must provide it, pay for it and pay to clean it.

Examples: - A mâitre d’ is required to wear

a tuxedo. His employer must buy the tuxedo and pay for dry cleaning.

- Servers must wear a clean shirt with the company logo; the res-taurant can:

- install a washer and drier, assign responsibility for laundry and give employees a clean shirt when they report for shift;

- give employees shirts and tell them to wash them with their own laundry; this option requires com-pensating employees for soap, water and electricity

usually $1 to $2.00 a shift.- have a commercial laundry

collect dirty and deliver clean shirts.

The restaurant cannot charge employees or make them pay a deposit on uniforms. The uni-forms must be returned when the employee leaves.

drEss codEA dress code means you expect employees to wear something standard; clothes they probably already own and could wear other places.

Examples: - Jeans and a white shirt- Black skirt or pants and white

dress shirt- Basic kitchen whites- Slip resistant shoesYou are not responsible to pro-vide or clean these generic items.There are some limits to dress codes — employers cannot legally require employees to dress in embarrassing or sexually explicit ways or wear dangerous clothing or footwear.

Examples: - Requiring female servers to

wear very short skirts, low cut tops or high heel shoes or shirts that trail and could be a tripping hazard.

- Expecting male bartenders to bare chests or buttocks.

appEarancE & HyGiEnE: It is legal and within an employer’s rights to tell employees with:- facial piercings to take them out- tattoos that look like skin condi-

tions to cover them - heavy cosmetics and unnatural

nail colours to remove them- distracting hairdos to tone

them down- body odor to shower and wear

deodorant

Example: The restaurant Bill works for has a “no piercings” policy; only small discreet earrings permitted. Bill decides to have his lip and eye-brow pierced. When he reports with his new hardware, he’s sent home and told he won’t have shifts until the piercings are gone. Bill protests it’s his human right to pierce his face and if he doesn’t get shifts, it’s the same as firing him without cause.Bill is only partially correct. It is not a protected “human right” to pierce your tongue. It’s a per-sonal choice! Human Rights laws are reserved for issues such as discrimination on the basis of sex, race or disability. Taking Bill off the schedule is the same as firing him; however, he is wrong about cause. The restaurant has a right to enforce the “no piercings” policy. If Bill refuses to comply he can and should be fired for cause.

got a question? Ask Gillian your questions about human resource management or your rights under government regulations.

604.505.2374

News MakersBC Hospitality Industry Conference and Gala

Do you have an event or news you would like to share with the Restaurant Community? Email us at bcrn@bcrfa.com with your stories.

NOV / DEC 2011 | 19

On November 21-23 2010 key players in the industry gathered at the BC Hospitality Industry Conference & Expo at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver.

Membership

Busines Development Manager of BC Hospitality Foundation, Alan Sacks; BCRFA President/CEO Ian Tostenson

Surviving the Tough Times Panel, Emad Yacoub, Rob Fussey and Ian Tostenson

Kevin Walker presents the first Dick Gibbons Scholarship

The Roaring 20’s Gala

Conference Speakers, Tod Lucier and Tom Lucier

GM Westerly Hotel’s Michelle LeSage; conference MC Earl Wilde

Allison Peever and Nora Cummings from Chemistry Consulting

Cleaning Up at the Casino

Vice Chair of the BC Hospitality Foundation, Bing Smith; Chair of the BC Hospitality Foundation, Geoffrey Howes

Students receive their scholarships courtesy ofthe BC Hospitality Foundation

13th Annual Winter Festival of WineJanuary 15 - 23, 2011

2011 Wine & Dine Thompson / Okanagan January 19 - February 6, 2011

Dine Around & Stay in Town Victoria February 17 - March 6, 2011

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20 | BC RESTAURANT NEWS

Membership

New Memberswelcome to the

association:Paprika BistroTiger Claw SuppliesVillages Pizza IncBrowns Social HouseChop Steakhouse & Bar

13th Annual Winter Festival of WineJanuary 15 - 23, 2011

2011 Wine & Dine Thompson / Okanagan January 19 - February 6, 2011

Dine Around & Stay in Town Victoria February 17 - March 6, 2011

Upcoming Events

Member Benefitscost savings from Just Energy

Please allow us to take this opportunity to update you all on the Natural Gas market. Prices have been very low and fairly stagnant

over the past year or two. There has been a steady march downwards and now we are finding that the market is seeing some stability. There is a lot of gas in storage and there have been no real “events” to drive the market up. It may appear that it is a great time to float but as we know once this market turns around it can spike very quickly. We are not sug-gesting this to be the case but it can also be wise and cost effective to make purchases when there is an excess of supply (as there is right now).There is very little compelling investor dollars into finding new gas fields right now and in fact gas is so cheap, that in many cases, it costing more to

produce it than to sell it...this is why new produc-tion is coming off. There has to be a reason for investor dollars to be attracted to natural gas plays and right now there aren’t many. The flow of equity and debt (or lack of) is what will bring a supply correction into place. Gas is a finite resource and producers do not like to see this finite resource being sold at huge discounts. Sooner or later this will stop. Please call us to discuss a gas strategy that is tailored to your needs. There are many contributing factors that will make up you energy solution and the current market price is only one of them. We have the ability to recommend both fixed, floating, an hybrid programs and look for-ward to hearing from you.

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NOV / DEC 2011 | 21

for more information on any of these events, or to register, visit www.bcrfa.com/event-calendar

member pollDo you expect the new 0.05 legislation to negatively effect your establishment this hol-iday season?

Vote here (http://survey.constantcontact.com/poll/a07e35r6nsmggy0ytyb/start.html)

Membership

BCRFA patrons of the industry:

http://www.bcrfa.com/bc-restaurant-news

©2010 British Columbia Restaurant & Foodservices Association

439 Helmcken StreetVancouver, BCV6B 2E6t: 877 669 2239f: 604 669 6175bcrn@bcrfa.comwww.bcrfa.com

Chair: Rob Fussey CEO/President: Ian Tostenson Director, Finance: Durda Krilic Director, Marketing & Membership: Sharron Tulk BCRN Publisher: Candice Harvey Association Co-ordinator: Britni Hammons-Winsor Co-ordinator Membership Development: Kaity Gordon

FOR EDITORIAL INFORMATION OR TO ADVERTISEPlease Contact Sharron Tulk

phone: 877 669 2239 email: bcrn@bcrfa.com web: www.bcrfa.comDownload the Editorial Schedule at www.bcrfa.com/bc-restaurant-news

ABOUTBC Restaurant News is the official publication of the British Columbia Restaurant & Foodservices Association. Published six times a year. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The views of this publication are not necessarily the views of the Association. The BCRFA reserves the right to refuse any advertising or part thereof. Subscription is included with membership.

Contact 1 877 669 2239 to become a member. BCRN is an online magazine.

watch for our next issueJan/Feb 2011