Open a restaurant or brewery
Yes. All businesses that prepare, sell, or allow on-site consumption of food or alcohol require a business licence.
Examples of Restaurant and Brewery businesses that need a licence:
- Bakeries
- Bars and Pubs
- Breweries, Micro-breweries, Brewpubs
- Butcher shops
- Coffee shops
- Delicatessens
- Food court vendors
- Ice cream parlours
- Lounges and Nightclubs
- Shisha and hookah bars
- Take-out and fast food
| Example | Licence types |
|---|---|
| If you plan to brew or distill alcohol at the premises |
You will need an Alcohol Beverage Manufacture licence |
| If you will only be serving food |
You will need a Food Services – Premises licence |
| If you will be serving both food and alcohol |
You will need a Food Services – Premises licence and an Alcohol Beverage Sales licence |
-
Business Experience Representatives
Did you know we have a dedicated team of Business Experience Representatives, who will help business owners work through the regulatory process of opening a restaurant or brewery business in Calgary?
-
Opening a Restaurant and Brewery
March 15, 2022The City of Calgary presents a webinar on everything you need to know about opening a Restaurant & Brewery in Calgary.
Watch our recorded Q&A on things to consider before starting your business, what permits are required to open a restaurant or brewery, how to apply for a business licence, why you need city inspections and some of the most common inspection issues identified during the process.
| Fee schedule | New licence | Fire | Planning | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $172 | $107 | $41 | $317 |
| Example | Type of use |
|---|---|
| If you will restrict minors |
Your business will be considered a drinking establishment |
| If you offer take-out only |
Your business will be considered a take-out food service |
| If you will have VLTs (video lottery terminals) |
Your business will be considered a drinking establishment |
| If you will have a dance floor or space for entertainment |
Most uses allow for up to 10 square meters of the public area to be used for entertainment purposes. If your entertainment space will be larger than 10 square metres, your business will be considered a night club |
Location approval
Commercial based location
Your business will be run from a commercial or industrial location in Calgary.
Development Permit
Tenancy Change
Building Permit
Commercial: food establishments
Sample Drawings
For more information on specific application types please see the corresponding checklist below. View some sample drawings to help prepare your application
For more information about safety codes for food establishments visit National Buidling Code - Alberta Edition for food establishments. For more information contact the Planning Services Centre.
Trade Permits
Meet Matt
Matt is a brew master for a world-famous brewing company. As an avid lover of craft beer, he has decided to open his own microbrewery with a tasting room in the heart of Calgary’s brewing district.
Matt’s perfect location is a closed-up retail shop that will require extensive renovations.
To open a new microbrewery Matt will need to:
- Apply for a Discretionary Change of Use Development Permit.
- Research and comply with the building regulations for having both brewery equipment and a tasting room operating in the same physical space. Matt may want to hire industry professionals to help with this.
- Apply for his Building Permit, once the Development Permit has been released.
- Hire licensed trade contractors to pull permits and bring the electrical, plumbing and gas systems up to code.
- Call for building permit and trade permit inspections throughout the construction process.
- Submit his Business Licence application.
- Call for Fire and AHS inspections and submit approvals so his Licence can be issued.
- Apply for and receive his AGLC liquor Licence. He will need to follow the AGLC requirements for selling and processing alcoholic beverages within the same location.
- Open his Business.
Matt will need:
- Discretionary Change of Use DP
- Building Permit
- Business Licence
- AGLC Licence
Meet Lily
Lily started her catering business in 2020 after the COVID pandemic caused her to lose her corporate 9-5.
Two years later, she is ready to expand her services and wants to operate in a brick-and-mortar building with dine-in service.
As a first-time business owner starting in a brand-new space, Lily will need to:
- Apply for her Development and Building Permits.
- Work with her contractor to secure the correct trade permits.
- Ensure building construction is complete, call for trade permit inspections and ensure the commercial space is ready to use.
- Register her company with the provincial registry as she has decided to incorporate her business.
- Submit her Business Licence Application.
- Call for Fire and AHS inspections and submit approvals so her licence can be issued.
- Open her Business.
Lily will need:
- New Building DP
- New Building BP
- Business Licence
Meet Maria
Maria is taking over her family-owned and operated restaurant. Though she’s keeping the original recipes, she has big dreams of modernizing the kitchen and dining area and updating her cocktail menu.
To transfer ownership and renovate her restaurant, Maria will need to: :
- Apply for a new Business Licence as she will be considered a new owner as per the Business Licence Bylaw.
- Decide if she needs to change or upgrade any cooking equipment as this would mean she would need a Building Permit.
- Apply for a Tenancy Change as she has decided to only do minor cosmetic changes like painting, for now.
- Call for Fire and AHS inspections and submit approvals so that her Licence can be issued.
- Apply for and receive her AGLC liquor Licence.
- Open her Business.
- In the future, Maria wants to upgrade some of her kitchen equipment an will apply for the appropriate permits when she is ready to go ahead with those renovations
Maria will need:
- Tenancy Change
- Business Licence
- AGLC Licence
Meet Luis
Luis recently immigrated to Canada and has always wanted to open a Brazilian Steakhouse. As an experienced Chef, Luis would like to import some of his most cherished ingredients from Brazil to bring his dishes to life.
Luis perfect location is an existing restaurant on 17th Ave that he will be renovating.
To start his Brazilian Steakhouse, Luis will need to:
- Work with an architect to draw plans and ensure his design meets the building code and bylaw requirements for his location.
- Determine if the restaurant’s proposed grilling and cooking equipment meets the safety requirements outlined in Provincial Regulations prior to purchasing the equipment.
- Apply for his Building Permit.
- Hire licensed trade contractors to pull permits and bring the electrical, plumbing and gas systems up to code.
- Call for building permit and trade permit inspections throughout the construction process.
- Ensure the menu’s food and liquor are approved by Industry and Health Standards Canada and confirm he can import food from other countries (as needed).
- Submit his Business Licence application.
- Call for Fire and AHS inspections and submit approvals so his Licence can be issued.
- Apply for and receive his AGLC liquor Licence.
- Open his Business.
Luis will need:
- Building Permit
- Business Licence
- AGLC Licence
- Business Activities
- Location of Business
- Ownership
- Name of Business
- Contact information for the business and owner
- Fee payment at the time of application*
*Fees have been waived until 2023.
Tips for a smooth application process
Before you apply:
- Put together a cost and timeline estimate.
- Check the feasability of your proposed location:
- Is your type of business allowed to operate from your chosen location (is the Use listed in your Land Use District)
- What type of Permits do you need as part of your Location Approval? See location approval.
- Do you need to apply for a development permit or tenancy change as part of your Location Approval?
- Does the space require any upgrades to comply with building and fire codes? See Alberta Building Code information for restaurants and food establishments.
- Are you doing construction yourself or hiring a contractor?
- Do you need to apply for a building permit as part of your Land Use Approval?
- Do you need approval from the property owner before making changes to the space?
- Hire the appropriate contractors for the project.
- Are your contractors licensed
- Can your contractors pull the right trade permits to work on your business?
After you apply:
- Submit all required documents as soon as you have prepared the permit requirements
- If your Business needs a Development and Building Permit, submit the Development Permit first and wait for a decision prior to submitting your Building Permit
- If your Business needs a Building Permit, submit all necessary Building Permit requirements
- Follow-up on requests for further information
- Book and complete your Inspections if a Building Permit is required
- Book and complete your Health and Fire Inspections once the Building Permit is complete
Need help? A business experience representative can help you determine what approvals you will need. Contact The Planning Services Centre.
| Licence Categories | Description | Location approval | Fire | Health | AGLC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Services – Premises Licence | Required to operate a food premise or prepare and serve food to the public. |
Required |
Required |
Required |
|
| Outdoor Patio | Required when food and liquor are being prepared and/or served to the public outdoors, adjacent to an established restaurant or brewery. |
Required |
*If your restaurant sells alcohol then you need AGLC approval. |
||
| Alcohol Beverage Sales | Required to sell alcoholic beverages to the public. |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| Alcohol Beverage Manufacturer | Required to make your own alcoholic beverages on the premise. |
Required |
Required |
Required |
Required |
| Entertainment Establishment | Required if your establishment routinely advertises live entertainment such as music or comedy, dancing, games room, a bowling alley, billiard/pool hall or drive-in theatre |
Required |
Required |
||
| Retail Dealer Premises | Required if your establishment sells merchandise. |
Required |
Required |