The BC Ferries sets sail with its alcohol trial on Thursday.
The one-year trial to test beer and wine sales begins at 11 a.m. and allows passengers 19 years of age and older to purchase one alcoholic beverage with their meal on three different vessels serving the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route.
Two different types of beers, two types of red wine and two types of white wine will be served at the Pacific Buffet on the Spirit of British Columbia, the Spirit of Vancouver Island and the Coastal Celebration.
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Passengers will be limited to one drink purchase – a decision that was made after “extensive consultations with stakeholders, including experts on drug and alcohol public policy,” according to an e-mail statement in September from B.C. ministry of the attorney general communications manager Robert Duffus.
The beer and wine will be sourced from B.C. with VQA wine and craft beer.
Astrid Braunschmidt, manager of corporate communications with BC Ferries, said the trial will be closely monitored over the next year but no decisions will be made just yet in regards to the selling of alcohol on other routes.
READ ALSO: BC Ferries to sell beer and wine on Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route
“We’ll keep an eye on how things go over the next 12 months,” Braunschmidt said. “We’ll monitor employee feedback and customer feedback and look at the numbers.”
In September, Duffus said BC Ferries “may request a review of the one-drink limit” at a later date.
-With files from Wolf Depner
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
