Vancouver’s local music scene is a mixed bag. From underground hole-in-the-wall locations, to random shows in random parks, it is a rich community with something for everybody to love.

With that, it’s difficult for many to understand why the City of Vancouver seems so against the idea of keeping these venues open.

Despite this, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has actively said that he agrees that the cities nightlife scene isn’t the greatest. Even going as far to reference the old nickname of ‘No Fun City’ which was originally coined way back in the early 2000s.

Between the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Vancouver’s entertainment industry all around suffered countless threats of closures, many being acted upon accordingly. With the intense and uncanny amount of closures, it led the local indie and punk communities to seek musical refuge in illegal underground venues. That itself also didn’t last, as many were eventually raided by police.

Returning to present day, it almost seems like a worrying case of deja vu, as the crackdown of venues is returning slowly but surely. The catch? Officials look to be focusing on all the wrong venues.

Council Member Brian Montague has spent much of his time in office trying to crack down on illegal venues. It was said that he actively sent a list of venues to another city official in hopes that they would act accordingly. The problem with this is where that list came from, and that some of the listed venues already had the required city licences and liquor permits to hold shows legally.

Following this information being released, various venue operators chimed in, stating that the entire situation just added fuel to the fire of previous suspicions. Claiming that they believed bigger venues that are heavily established in the cities eyes are using that privilege to undermine what they deem to be ‘competition.’

Some of the groups Montague had contact with spoke out, confirming the contact, while another added that they had gone to various venues to try and get them to sell themselves out, effectively aiding in adding names to Montagues list.

A main point of interest that the government has to go after venues is the long standing record some have in disregarding liquor laws. Using it as their go-to reason to defend their actions. Having said that, lots of independent operators have fought this idea, saying it’s unfounded and just another excuse used to attack local venues and control of the nightlife industry economy.

The province allows people to apply for temporary liquor licenses, which in the long run is much cheaper then going through the process of acquiring a permanent license. Due to this, many smaller local venues choose to go the temporary route for specific events.

However, in the eye’s of Vancouver’s BarWatch program, a public and voluntary initiative that strictly enforces bans in the realm of violence within the cities nightlife world, claims that the venues who consistently acquire temporary liquor licenses are ‘cheating.’

To be quite frank with you, I believe that entire idea is completely flawed. From a business perspective, any local venues going down that route are simply doing what’s best for them and allows them to keep their heads above water, all while staying in legal parameters. The process of getting a permanent liquor license is both costly and time consuming, for small venues, it is simply too big for them to even consider safely. They are more then right for going down the path they are, why? Because their focus is the community.