CRFA evens the playing field for resto-bars
(Aug 19/10) Following CRFA action, resto-bar owners can choose whether or not to issue a receipt for drinks served without food in the bar portion of their establishment.
With respect to tax evasion under Bill 84, restaurants will be required to produce a receipt for each transaction as of Sept. 1, 2010. Bars are excluded from this obligation. Prior to CRFA’s efforts, resto-bars would have been required to provide receipts in the restaurant and bar, putting them in an unfair position.
Resto-bars, which are restaurants with a bar, brasserie or tavern, are unique as they hold two types of licenses – one from the Régie des alcools, des jeux et des courses du Québec (RAJCQ) for the bar, and the other from Ministère de l’Agriculture, des pêcheries et de l’alimentation (MAPAQ) for the restaurant.
On behalf of its resto-bar members, CRFA explained the inequity of this scheme and its operational difficulties to the deputy minister of revenue. Resto-bar members are required to post licenses on the restaurant wall and the bar entrance, clearly dividing the two areas and making it easy for staff to determine whether a drink is served at the bar without food.