Business Licence Bylaw

Victoria, British Columbia

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BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW BYLAW NO. 89-071 This consolidation is a copy of a bylaw consolidated under the authority of section 139 of the Community Charter. (Consolidated on November 7, 2024 up to Bylaw No. 24-046) This bylaw is printed under and by authority of the Corporate Administrator of the Corporation of the City of Victoria. 2 NO. 89-071 BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW A BYLAW OF THE CITY OF VICTORIA (Consolidated to include Bylaws No. 89-185, 90-004, 90-093, 90-222, 92-014, 92-095, 93-014, 93-086, 93-122, 93-135, 94-026, 95-029, 95-077, 95-097, 95-113, 96-003, 98-006, 98-044, 99-042, 01-070, 01-092, 01-152, 02-111, 03-109, 04-117, 08-097, 10-074, 10-084, 13-011, 14-101, 16-061, 16-065, 18-034, 19-053, 22-090, 23-053 and 24-046) to consolidate the provisions for the licensing and regulation of businesses and to provide for voluntary penalties and the issuing of tickets. PURSUANT to the powers vested in it by the Victoria City Act, 1919 as amended, by the Municipal Act R.S.B.C. 1979, c.290, and other powers thereunto enabling, the Municipal Council of The Corporation of the City of Victoria enacts as follows: 1 This Bylaw may be cited as the "BUSINESS LICENCE BYLAW." 2 (1) This bylaw is subject to the provisions of the Interpretation Bylaw, 1974. (2) In this bylaw, "automatic teller machine" means a device that (a) is linked to a financial institution's account records, and that is able to carry out transactions that include account transfers, deposits, cash withdrawals, balance inquiries, payments of amounts owed, or other financial transactions, and (b) is not located in the same building as offices of the financial institution that owns the device; "delivery truck" means a motor vehicle which is designed or used primarily for the transportation of property and weighs in excess of 907 kg; "foodstand" has the same meaning as foodstand in the Zoning Regulation Bylaw "financial institution" means a bank, credit union, or trust company; "licensed establishment" means a business that is licensed under the provisions of the British Columbia Liquor Control and Licensing Act; "Licence Inspector" means a person appointed by the City as a licence inspector. "passenger directed vehicle" has the same meaning ascribed to that term in the Passenger Transportation Act (BC). 3 "passenger directed vehicle service provider" means a business that is authorized to operate one or more passenger directed vehicles under the Passenger Transportation Act (BC). "storefront cannabis retailer" means a business where cannabis is sold or otherwise provided to a person who attends the premises. "small-scale commercial urban food production" has the same meaning as small- scale commercial urban food production in the Zoning Regulation Bylaw. 3 No provision of this bylaw shall depend for its validity on any other provision of this or of any other bylaw, it being Council's intention that, notwithstanding that one or more of the provisions of this or of any other bylaw may be invalid, as many as possible of the provisions of this bylaw shall remain in force and effect, as though such invalid provision or provisions were never enacted. 4 No person shall carry on any of the trades, businesses, professions, occupations, callings, employments or purposes set out in the Schedule of Fees attached to and forming part of this bylaw, unless the person: (a) holds a valid and subsisting licence for that purpose, issued under the provisions of this bylaw or of another bylaw of the City enacted for that purpose; (b) has paid in advance to the City the licence fee prescribed in this bylaw, and if no licence fee is presscribed in this bylaw then such licence fee as may be prescribed in another bylaw having application; (c) displays such licence in a conspicuous place on the premises, if any, to which the licence applies. 6 Except as otherwise provided by bylaw, each licence shall be in writing, shall be issued by the Licence Inspector, and shall identify the licensee and the nature of the business authorized. 7 An application for a licence shall be made in writing on a form prescribed by the Licence Inspector. 8 (1) Before issuing any licence, the License Inspector may require evidence to their reasonable satisfaction that the applicant has complied with any and all applicable bylaws, regulations and statutes, and may require the applicant to give full particulars of all convictions of any offences recorded against the applicant anywhere in Canada during the two years immediately preceding the date of application. (2) The License Inspector may also obtain a report from any police force on the applicant's criminal record, and no liability for defamation shall attach to the City or any of its employees or to any member of any police force for communicating such information in good faith, whether or not the information is accurate. (3) A licensed establishment must enter into a good neighbour agreement in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor as a condition of receiving a new business licence 4 or renewing, transferring or amending an existing business licence if, in the opinion of the Licence Inspector, the licensed establishment has had a negative impact on the neighbouring community resulting in: (a) complaints received by the City, including the Victoria Police Department, about the licensed establishment; (b) tickets or fines issued against the licensed establishment for breach of City bylaws or provincial or federal laws; or (c) repeat visits by City bylaw officers or police officers in response to incidents at or complaints about the licensed establishment. (4) The requirements set out in subsection (3)(b) are conditions that the applicant must comply with throughout the term of its business licence and any renewal term. 9 Until the contrary is proved a person shall be deemed to carry on a trade, business, profession, occupation, calling, employment or purpose without a valid and subsisting licence if he performs a single transaction which is normally performed only by persons engaged in the trade, business, profession, occupation, calling, employment or purpose. 10 (1) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this bylaw every licence shall be valid for a term of one year, commencing on the 16th day of January and terminating on the 15th day of January next, provided that if a licence is issued after the 16th day of January in any year it shall be valid only until the 15th day of January next, but the full licence fee shall nevertheless be payable. (2) A person who holds a licence under this bylaw must renew the licence and pay the annual licence fee on or before January 15 for as long as that person continues to operate the business. (3) If a licence is renewed after February 15, the licence holder must pay to the City a late fee of $25 in addition to the applicable annual licence fee. (4) Subsection (3) does not apply to licence holders described under paragraphs 10(a) and (d), 11, 12 and 14 in the Schedule of Licence Fees. 11 (1) No licence shall be transferable from one person to another, and no refund shall be payable in respect of a licence on the grounds that the holder of such licence has ceased to carry on business before its expiry. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) a licence under paragraph 18 in the Schedule of Licence Fees shall, if in good standing, be transferred from one person to another, upon written application of the transferor and the transferee. 12 Any person holding a licence shall be entitled, on written application duly made to and approved by the Licence Inspector, to change their place of business, subject to compliance with any bylaws of the City relating to the location, nature, condition, or approval of the premises to be used or occupied for it, or to any other bylaws relating to 5 the application for or subject matter of the licence, but no person shall be entitled to carry on business at two or more locations at the same time under one licence. 13 Any License Inspector, any person designated by the Director of Finance and any Police Officer may at any reasonable time enter upon any premises for the purpose of ascertaining whether the provisions of this bylaw are being complied with, and provided that the Inspector, Police Officer or other designated person produces proper identification when asked, no person shall hinder, delay or obstruct them. 14 Notwithstanding anything contained in this bylaw the Council may, by unanimous vote of all the members present, refuse in any particular case to grant the request of the applicant for a licence under the provisions of this bylaw. 15 (1) In addition to any power of refusal or revocation of licences vested in it by the preceding section or by any other law, the Council may by the votes of at least two thirds of all its members refuse to issue a licence or may revoke a licence already issued on the grounds that: (a) not more than two years before such refusal or revocation, the applicant for or holder of the licence as the case may be; (i) was convicted anywhere in Canada of an offence involving dishonesty; (ii) was convicted, found guilty of or liable for any contravention or offence relating to the conduct of a business similar to that which the licence relates; (iii) was convicted, found guilty of, or liable for any contravention or offence, in Victoria, against this bylaw or against any bylaw authorizing the issuance of a business licence or regulating the conduct of a business; or (b) the applicant for or holder of the licence in their application for a licence, was guilty of misrepresentation, nondisclosure or concealment of any material fact, relating to the subject matter of the licence or required to be stated in, the application. (c) In this section "applicant" or "holder" includes the director of a corporation and partner of a firm. (2) A Licence Inspector may suspend a licence for a reasonable length of time if the holder of that licence (a) is convicted of an offence indictable in Canada; (b) is convicted of an offence under any municipal bylaw or statute of British Columbia in relation to the licensed business or the land or building named in the licence; 6 (c) has, in the opinion of the Licence Inspector, been guilty of gross misconduct that (i) is related to the licensed business or the land or building named in the licence; and (ii) warrants the suspension of the licence; (d) no longer meets the lawful requirements for carrying on the licensed business or for the land or building named in the licence; or (e) has, in the opinion of the Licence Inspector, (i) conducted the licensed business or performed a service in a particular manner; or (ii) sold, offered for sale, displayed for sale or distributed to a person actually or apparently under the age of 16 years anything; that may be harmful or dangerous to the health or safety of a person actually or apparently under the age of 16 years. (3) Sections 513(2) to (4) of the Municipal Act (B.C.) apply to an appeal from a decision to suspend a licence under subsection (2). 16 Before any of the powers under the preceding two sections are exercised by the Council, written notice shall be given to the applicant for or holder of the licence, as the case may be, stating briefly any allegation or factor which the Council will consider, and inviting the applicant or holder to appear in person or by agent before the Council at the time and place stipulated in the notice, to make representations with or without the production of evidence in support thereof. 17 The proceedings conducted pursuant to the preceding section shall be open to the public unless at the request of the applicant for or holder of the licence the Council resolves to exclude the public, but the Council may deliberate in private before making its decision. 18 If the applicant for or holder of the licence does not appear in person or by agent at the time appointed pursuant to Section 16 the Council may proceed in their absence. 19 No refund shall be made in respect of any part of the fee paid for a licence that has been revoked. 20 Where the Council has refused a licence pursuant to Section 14 or 15 no fresh application for the same licence shall be entertained within three months after such refusal except with the unanimous consent of the members of Council present. 21 The provisions of this bylaw apply, to the extent that they are consistent, to any other bylaw enacted by virtue of the powers conferred on the City by the provisions of Section 18 of the Victoria City Act, 1919, as amended. 7 22 The amount of the licence fee payable to the City for a licence shall be as stipulated in the Schedule of Licence Fees, unless a licence fee is payable pursuant to the provisions of another bylaw. 23 [Repealed] 24 (1) Before issuing a business licence pursuant to paragraph 21 of the Schedule of Licence Fees, where an applicant is applying for such licence for the first time, the Licence Inspector, as a condition of issuing the licence, may require the applicant to furnish a letter of credit or bond in the amount of $500.00, the return of which shall be conditional upon the applicant carrying on the business continuously for at least six months from the date of issuance of the business licence. (2) Where any person has been required to furnish a letter of credit or bond pursuant to this section, such security shall be returned to that person when the person has carried on business continuously within the City for six months from the date of issuance of the business licence. 25 (1) No person shall carry on any trade, business, profession, occupation, calling, employment or purpose mentioned in this bylaw on any street, sidewalk, public place or public square unless such person is expressly permitted to do so by any other bylaw of the City. (2) For the purposes of this section, "the carrying on of any trade, business, profession, occupation, calling, employment or purpose" includes any advertising by means of handbills, pamphlets, circulars, leaflets or other printed, typed or written materials. 26 (1) A person commits an offence and is subject to the penalties imposed by this bylaw, the Ticket Bylaw and the Offence Act if that person: (a) contravenes a provision of this bylaw; (b) consents to, allows, or permits an act or thing to be done contrary to this bylaw; or (c) neglects or refrains from doing anything required by a provision of this bylaw. (2) Each day that a contravention of a provision of this bylaw occurs or continues shall constitute a separate offence. 27 [Repealed] 28 Upon the request of a Bylaw officer or a Police Officer, any person who is carrying on business on any street, sidewalk, public place or square shall identify themself and provide their permanent address. 29 [Repealed] 8 30 [Repealed] 31 Bylaw No. 80-195, the "Business Licence Bylaw" and all amendments are repealed. 32 A business licensed under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act must not sell, or offer for sale, alcoholic beverages at a retail price of less than $3.00 per Standard Serving, inclusive of taxes. 33 For the purpose of section 32, the minimum price of an alcoholic beverage containing a fraction of one Standard Serving is to be calculated pro rata. 34 For the purpose of section 32, a Standard Serving is: (a) 1 fluid ounce of spirits having an alcoholic content of 17% or more, served on its own or in a mixed beverage; (b) 5 fluid ounces of wine having an alcoholic content of 1.5% or more; (c) 12 fluid ounces of beer, cider, or a cooler, having an alcoholic content of 1.5% or more. 35 (1) It is a condition for obtaining, continuing to hold or renewing a licence for a storefront cannabis retailer that the person carrying on a storefront cannabis retailer ensure that: (a) two employees including one manager are present on the premises at all times when the business is open to the public; and (b) subject to subsection (2), windows on any ground-level frontage of the premises are not blocked by translucent or opaque material, artwork, posters, shelving, display cases, or similar elements. (2) Notwithstanding subsection 1(b), windows on any ground-level frontage of the premises of a storefront cannabis retailer may be covered by artwork or posters provided that such artwork or posters do not extend above 1.22 metres (4 feet) measured from ground level. 36 A licenced small-scale commercial urban food production business must not have or permit, in non-commercial or non-industrial zones, (a) the loading of products of small-scale commercial urban food production into a delivery truck at the small-scale commercial urban food production site outside the hours of (i) 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays; or (ii) 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on any other day; 9 (b) more than one loading of products of small-scale commercial urban food production into a delivery truck at the small-scale commercial urban food production site per day; or (c) the selling of products of small-scale commercial urban food production on a foodstand outside the hours of: (i) 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays; or (ii) 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on any other day. 37 The following are conditions for obtaining, continuing to hold or renewing a licence for a passenger directed vehicle service provider: (a) every passenger directed vehicle service provider must provide the Licence Inspector with a copy of the provincial authorization to operate and the number of passenger directed vehicles operating under the authority of that passenger directed vehicle service provider, including the number of accessible passenger directed vehicles and zero emission passenger directed vehicles; (b) every passenger directed vehicle service provider must provide the Licence Inspector upon request, trip data of every passenger directed vehicle operating under its authority, including: (i) the total number of pick-ups and drop-offs initiated and concluded within the City; (ii) City block of each passenger drop-off location; and (iii) the number of trips under subsection (i) taken by accessible passenger directed vehicles and zero emissions passenger directed vehicles; (c) if additional passenger directed vehicles begin operating under the provincial authorization of a passenger directed vehicle service provider after the annual licence fee for any year is paid, the passenger directed vehicle service provider shall: (i) report the additional passenger directed vehicles to the Licence Inspector, indicating the total number of passenger directed vehicles added, including the number of accessible passenger directed vehicles and zero emission passenger directed vehicles added, within 5 business days before the end of the month in which the passenger directed vehicles were added, and (ii) pay an additional licence fee in accordance with the Schedule of Licence Fees, if applicable, pro-rated by dividing the applicable additional annual licence fee by 12 and multiplying the resulting number by the number of whole or partial months remaining in that calendar year. Passed and received third reading by the Municipal Council the 8th day of June 1989. 10 Reconsidered and adopted by the Municipal Council the 22nd day of June 1989. "M. JOHNSTON" "E. SIMMONS" CITY CLERK ACTING MAYOR 11 SCHEDULE OF LICENCE FEES Classification of Business License Fee (per annum, unless otherwise stated) $ 1. A person carrying on the business of selling newspapers by hawking 25.00 2. A hawker, selling original paintings, drawings, sketches or etchings only 300.00 3. A hawker, selling arts and crafts only 5.00 4. Any designated area hawker, as defined in the Street Vendors Bylaw 300.00 5. Any other hawker, and any peddler 250.00 6. (1) A person, who, in person or by telephone, either on their own behalf or as agent for another, sells or solicits or takes orders for the sale, by retail, of goods, wares or merchandise to be supplied by any person resident or doing business outside the City, 300.00 (2) Where orders for cosmetics, health food products, kitchenware, costume jewellery, or household cleaning products are solicited in the home of a prospective purchaser at a gathering attended by more than one prospective purchaser 100.00 7. Any person selling property by auction (except Crown officers, sheriffs and bailiffs) 300.00 8. A person carrying on the business of a hospital for profit 280.00 9. A person carrying on the business of a school for profit 30.00 10. A person owning or keeping a cab, carriage, cart, wagon, dray, truck, motor car, automobile, or other conveyance or vehicle for hire, other than a school bus for which no license is required (a) subject to subsection (b), for any passenger directed vehicle services, $140 per passenger directed vehicle to the following maximums: (i) 1-49 passenger directed vehicles $5,000 (ii) 50-99 passenger directed vehicles $10,000 (iii) 100-149 passenger directed vehicles $15,000 12 (iv) 150 or more passenger directed vehicles $20,000 (b) for any passenger directed vehicle that is a zero emission vehicle or wheelchair accessible vehicle: (i) per zero emission passenger directed vehicle $30 (ii) per wheelchair accessible passenger directed vehicle $0, and, for certainty, the maximum fee from section (a) continues to apply (c) if conveyances or vehicles without drivers, per business location 500.00 (d) if a pedicab carriage, per pedicab 140.00 (e) if a moped, motor cycle or bicycle rental business, per business location 60.00 11. Except as provided in Clause 12, any person who transports passengers in a vehicle, or other conveyance, other than a vessel or a passenger bus service on a fixed route between a place in the City and a place outside the City, for each vehicle or other conveyance 140.00 12. Any person who transports passengers in a horse drawn vehicle for special events only 140.00 13. Any person carrying on the business of a passenger bus service on a fixed route in the City or between any place in the City and any place outside the City, per business location 280.00 14. Any person who transports passengers in a vessel, for each vessel 140.00 15. Any person carrying on the business of a steamship company 140.00 16. Any person carrying on any airline business with or without flight arrivals or departures within the City of Victoria 280.00 17. A transient trader, as defined in the Victoria City Act, 1919, s.18(1)(v) 1,000.00 18. Subject to Clause 19, a person letting individual rooms, suites of rooms, or lodgings for hire, either in a hotel, rooming house, apartment house, lodging house or elsewhere, and whether or not board or meals are supplied to the occupants thereof $100.00, plus $5.00 for each room let or available for letting 13 19. Any persons who (a) have 2 or fewer rooms or suites for rent in a dwelling unit where the dwelling unit is occupied by its owner, the dwelling unit remains as a single legal title, and the interval at which rent is payable on the suite or rooms is one month or longer, or (b) let a room or suite of rooms under a registered lease with an initial or renewal term of 99 years or more are not required to take out or hold a license under Clause 18. 20. Each person carrying on the business calling or profession of accountant, architect, insurance adjuster, public stenographer, real estate agent, barrister, solicitor, physician, surgeon, medical practitioner, or specialist, engineer, land surveyor, optometrist, refractionist, dentist, dental surgeon, osteopath, chiropractor, faith- healer, mental-healer, or other healer of human diseases or ailments, or veterinarian, whether as principal, partner or employee, for each person 100.00 21. Any person carrying on flower sales from outside premises in which the business of government liquor sales is conducted, but not on any sidewalk, boulevard, or street, for each business 100.00 22. Any person carrying on the business of an amusement centre, including billiard hall, bowling alley or dance club 60.00 23. Any person carrying on the business of a barber or hairdresser 100.00 24. Any person carrying on the business of a bingo hall 280.00 25. Any person carrying on the business of a radio or television broadcasting station 250.00 26. Any person carrying on the business of a dealer in secondhand or used motor vehicles and motor vehicle repairs 200.00 27. Any person carrying on the business of a dealer in new automobiles or in both new and used automobiles shall also be entitled to carry on the business of selling automobile accessories, gasoline, oil and supplies and repairing automobiles or motor cars without another license 500.00 28. Any person carrying on the business of a casino 280.00 29. Any person carrying an the business of catering 60.00 30. Any person carrying on the business of a laundry or dry cleaners 100.00 14 31. Any person carrying on the business of stockbroker, commodity trader, auto broker or investment dealer 200.00 32. Any person carrying on the business of a credit union 280.00 33. Any person carrying on the business of a day care centre 30.00 34. Any person carrying on a retail business which includes 10 or more distinctive line or class of goods, wares or merchandise 3,000.00 35. [Repealed] 36. Selling beverages for consumption in the place where the beverages are sold (a.1) licensed liquor primary business, as defined under B.C. Regulation 244/2002, located inside the Downtown Area shown on the map in Schedule C $300 plus $7 per each unit of licensed liquor primary person capacity (a.2) licensed liquor primary business, as defined under B.C. Regulation 244/2002, located outside the Downtown Area shown on the map in Schedule C $300 plus $6 per each unit of licensed liquor primary person capacity (a.3) licensed liquor primary clubs, as defined under B.C. Regulation 244/2002, and licensed cultural facilities operated by a not for profit society: (i) $100 for licensed liquor primary person capacity not over 299, (ii) $200 for licensed liquor primary person capacity of 300 to 599, (iii) $400 for licensed liquor primary person capacity of 600 to 899, (iv) $800 for licensed liquor primary person capacity of 900 or more. (b) B.C. food primary licensed business, as defined under B.C. Regulation 244/2002 100.00 15 (c.1) licensed food primary business with a lounge endorsement, as defined under B.C. Regulation 244/2002, located inside the Downtown Area shown on the map in Schedule C $200 plus $7 per each unit of licensed liquor primary person capacity (c.2) licensed food primary business with a lounge endorsement, as defined under B.C. Regulation 244/2002, located outside the Downtown Area shown on the map in Schedule C $200 plus $6 per each unit of licensed liquor primary person capacity 37. Any person carrying on the business of a liquor store 280.00 38. Any person carrying on the business of a railway office 140.00 39. Any person carrying on the business of a rental service including the rental of chattels 60.00 40. Any person carrying on the business of a social club which offers games of chance 150.00 41. Any person operating any theatre, or motion picture theatre (a) where the seating capacity is less than 975 500.00 (b) where the seating capacity is more than 975 500.00 42. Any person carrying on the business of a tug boat company 280.00 43. Any person carrying on the business of a wholesale or wholesale and retail merchant or trader 200.00 44. Any person carrying on the business of a bank (a) for the first business location 1,000.00 (b) for each additional business location 700.00 45.1 Any person owning or operating any lawful automatic vending or slot machine (a) for each washer or dryer, per machine 11.00 (b) for any other vending machine 15.00 45.2 Despite section 45.1, any person having possession or control of a lawful automatic or slot machine, or any other machine, that dispenses lottery tickets for sale to a customer or for subsequent sale by a vendor to a customer: for each machine 100.00 16 45.3 Any person having possession or control of an automatic teller machine: for each machine 700.00 46. Each person carrying on any of the trades, businesses, professions, occupations, callings, employments, or purposes mentioned in Section 18(1) of the Victoria City Act, 1919 but not expressly mentioned in this Schedule, for each enterprise 100.00 47. Each person carrying on any business not otherwise mentioned in this Schedule, for each such business 100.00 48. Any person carrying on the business of a laundromat in a commercial location 100.00 49. Any person carrying on the business of a trust company 700.00 50. Any person carrying on the business of an insurance company 280.00 51. Any person carrying on a bicycle courier business, as that business is defined in the Bicycle Courier Bylaw 150.00 52. Any person carrying on the business of a street entertainer, as defined in the Street Vendors Bylaw 25.00 53. Any person carrying on an outdoor market business that, for a fee, permits individuals to use or occupy a space, table or booth outdoors on public property for the purpose of retail marketing of goods or services 100.00 54. Any person carrying on the business of teletheatre wagering that involves betting on horse races from a remote location where the live races are shown electronically on a screen 280.00 55. Any person carrying on the business of a storefront cannabis retailer $1,500 56. Any person carrying on a small-scale commercial urban food production business for off-site retail purposes 100.00 57. Any person carrying on a small scale urban food production business for on-site retail purposes 100.00, or 25.00 for three months 17 Schedule B [Repealed] 18