Starting this December anyone who serves alcohol in Nova Scotia will be required to have completed the new Serve Right program.
It’s a course designed to give servers training to promote the safety of patrons, staff and operators when serving liquor.
Previously only restaurant owners, managers and security staff required specialized training related to alcohol.
Although the news that severs will require it has been welcomed by most restaurant owners there are some concerns about the deadline.
“With more than 2,400 licensed establishments it’s going to be a challenge to get everyone trained in time for the deadline,” said Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia (RANS) Executive Director Natasha Chestnut. “It’s our busiest time of the year, so most staff are already really busy.”
RANS plans to continue to push to delay the deadline, however, the province has given no indication they intend to budge.
Chestnut is hopeful the deadline could be pushed to later in the winter or spring so servers could complete the training during slower months.
The Serve Right program is offered online and can be completed at the user’s desired pace.
Restaurants are not obliged to cover the $69 registration fee for the course, which means in many cases servers will be the ones footing the bill.
Most other provinces already had similar requirements for servers. However, none of the other provincial programs will count for accreditation in Nova Scotia as the Serve Right program is designed specifically with Nova Scotia’s liquor laws and regulations in mind.
