All day 'happy hour' on tap at Alberta liquor establishments

The Alberta Liquor and Gaming Commission has eliminated the 8 p.m. limit on 'happy hours,' allowing liquor establishments to offer reduced drink prices any time during operating hours.

"This policy wasn't really working for anybody," said Michelle Hynes-Dawson, spokesperson for the AGLC. "It wasn't working for businesses because they didn't have the flexibility to set their own happy hours or certain times for specials based on what worked for their business."

For example if there was a televised hockey game at 8 p.m., owners were offering all-day drink specials so that price reduction could continue beyond the mandated cutoff, she said.

"They were doing all or nothing," Hynes-Dawson said. "That's not socially responsible."

The prices charged by bars and restaurants will still need to follow minimum drink-pricing guidelines, Hynes-Dawson said.

This change is driven by business operators wanting more flexibility, she said. 

While the time limit has been lifted on happy hours, two other policies also introduced in 2008 remain in place: minimum drink prices for liquor consumed on premises and a limit on the number of drinks a person can order or possess after 1 a.m.

The Alberta Safer Bars Council, a policy advisory group which includes representatives from the liquor industry, owners and police, supports the change, she added.