Hospitality taken hostage, Kelowna restaurants speak out on BCGEU strike
Published 11:04 am Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Nicole Melco, bar lead at Kelowna’s Cantina del Centro, said the uncertainty around liquor stock levels is creating intense pressure for the restaurant.
The ongoing strike by the B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU) has halted operations in B.C. Liquor Distribution. With restrictions on where licensees can purchase liquor and seven weeks without regular alcohol orders, Melco said she’s getting concerned.
“I understand the purpose of unionized strikes, but it’s almost like hospitality is being held hostage,” Melco stated. “We’re the ones really taking the hit.”
Despite stocks running low, restaurants are not permitted to purchase alcohol at local retailers and have very limited options in trying to keep bottles on the shelf.
“I do think that the B.C. liquor regulations are fiercely strict and already, on a good day, hinder hospitality,” Melco added.
General Manager at Leopold’s Tavern, Jordan Miller-Laroche, agreed that hospitality is taking the hardest blow with the ongoing strike.
“I think we’ve been played as pawns several times now. It feels like we’re always battling with something in hospitality,” Miller-Laroche said. “I think having the government have so much control over where we can order from definitely is tough for us.”
In the early weeks of the strike, restaurants and licensees were able to purchase liquor through BC Liquor Stores with strict limitations on how much could be bought. BC Liquor Stores locked their doors in strike action on Oct. 8.
To keep the booze flowing, both restaurants will be turning to their neighbouring distilleries for direct distribution.
“For Kelowna, we’re really blessed to have accessibility with a lot of distillers,” Melco said.
They will be supporting local and purchasing from Okanagan Spirits as the strike continues.
“But you can’t really grow Okanagan fresh agave to make tequila… You can’t make margaritas without tequila.”
Although some liqueurs are missing from the bar at Leopold’s, Miller-Laroche doesn’t expect the strike to have too much of an impact on overall business.
“I think people are really understanding, so I don’t see a decrease necessarily in our sales,” said Miller-Laroche. “I think since COVID, it’s taught us one thing and that is to be adaptive, especially in the hospitality industry.”
Strike action started on Sept. 2. On Oct. 17, it was announced that the BCGEU and the province would sit down for mediation.
