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The growing restaurant and bar culture in India and abroad has paved the way for many businesses to flourish. But, people often fail to understand that when it comes to the food and beverage industry, it is a very sensitive market that needs to be handled with care. In an unfortunate event, an Indian restaurant in Canada received a 10-day suspension of its alcohol licence, after serving alcohol to a minor without checking identification. Scroll down to read the details.

According to a CBC News report, the action was taken against Taaz Indian Restaurant, located on Pandosy Street in Kelowna, British Columbia, for disregarding liquor laws in the province. The suspension will begin at the close of service on April 8 and remain in place for the next 10 days.

The incident dates back to November 2025, when a minor agent working with inspectors was served a Corona beer at the restaurant. It has been reported that the minor is a teenager under the legal drinking age of 19, and later it was found that the staff did not ask for identification before serving the drink. The restaurant operators later admitted to breaking the rules, leading to the suspension of their licence.

Drinking laws in Canada
According to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the legal drinking age in a liquor sales licensed establishment in the province of Ontario is 19 years of age. The same rule applies to British Columbia. Serving people who are under 19 years of age is an offence under the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019. Also, alcohol cannot be passed from a person of legal drinking age to a person who is under the legal drinking age. The minimum age to work in a liquor sales licensed establishment, authorized grocery store, or winery, distillery, or brewery retail store depends on whether or not the employee handles alcohol. If the employee will handle alcohol (including providing samples of alcohol), the minimum age to work in any of these establishments is 18 years of age. And, it also states that if there is any doubt as to a person’s age, staff should ask for an acceptable form of identification. Valid identification must be current, government-issued and include a photo of the person and the birth date.



Side effects of alcohol on minors
Brain development issues: According to experts, alcohol can interfere with the developing brain, affecting memory, learning ability, and decision-making skills. It can also lead to lasting cognitive problems.

Risk of addiction: Minors are at an age where they don't know the difference between right and wrong and early exposure to alcohol increases the chances of developing alcohol dependence later in life. This is the age where the brain becomes more vulnerable to addictive behaviors, hence, it is advised to be avoided.

Impact of mental health: Exposure to alcohol at an early age can also worsen anxiety, mood swings, and depression, and may increase impulsive or risky behavior in teenagers.

Physical health risks: It is proven that alcohol is not good for the liver, and exposing minors can harm vital organs like the liver and weaken the immune system.

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