VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Happy Hours just got a little happier, with the BC government backing off on minimum pricing for pitchers of draught beer.

The Happy Hour rules first came into effect a few weeks ago as part of the province’s overhaul of liquor laws, but some bars and pubs said the minimum price of $15 for a standard 60 oz pitcher was actually higher than what they were already charging.

“There were restaurants and bars where the minimum pricing of pitchers forced their prices up. So this puts them back to where they were, in some cases, before,” says Ian Tostenson with the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

He tells us the industry pointed out the problem to Justice Minister Susanne Anton.

“She said ‘If we made an error, we’ll correct it.’ I am so happy to see that they’ve done that and made the adjustment to a level that everybody wanted it to be. So, this is good. You never see the government lowering prices,” he tells us.

The new pricing announced today brings a pitcher down to $12. Pint, highball and wine prices are staying the same.