A local pub owner is the new president of a provincial agency that represents bars, pubs, and private liquor stores across the province.

Yvan Charette, owner of The Haney Public House, has been voted the president of The Alliance of Beverage Licensees, ABLE BC, a non-profit organization funded by membership dues, whose mission is to help liquor businesses succeed.

Charette said he is proud and excited to take on the role.

“What I’m really excited about is I’m now going to be interacting with top level people, executives, and government officials too, to map out directives on policy,” he said.

Charette was voted into the two-year term position by the group’s board of directors on March 15.

The Haney Hotel has been a member of ABLE BC since 1993, and Charette started taking an active role in the association in 2013. In 2018, he was voted to the board of directors.

During that time he worked with executive director Jeff Guignard on municipal issues like the 1KM rule, to maintain a one kilometre distance between liquor stores.

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“From supply chain issues to rising inflation and minimum wage, Yvan is well versed in the complicated and multifaceted issues that both retail and on-premise businesses face,” said a write-up online.

“He is committed to representing our industry as a whole and is looking forward to helping our members navigate any and all challenges coming in the next two years.”

ABLE BC, founded in 1975 as the BC Neighbourhood Pub Owners Association, currently represents 1,000 members.