Restaurant industry reps say liquor sales are sure to drop under the new drunk driving regulations proposed this week in B.C., and that business owners will have to get creative to offset the loss.

Under the bill, police have the power to issue 90-day driving bans, impound vehicles and levy fines of $500 on the spot, before criminal charges are laid.

It also means drivers who even blow within the 0.05 to 0.08 blood alcohol content warning range face a three-day driving ban and $450 in fines and fees.

Ian Tostenson, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, says 30 per cent of restaurants' sales come from alcohol –- but that number could drop if the bill is adopted.

"The notion of going and having an appetizer and a couple glasses of wine after work and then getting home, it's going to kill that market."

But despite the challenges the industry could face, Tostenson is taking a glass-half-full approach to the bill.

He says he appreciates the safety benefits of stiffer drunk driving penalties, and believes restaurants will find a way to adapt -- possibly by putting more focus on selling wine by the glass, rather than the bottle.

"You'll see restaurants respond in a really innovative way," he said. "We're really going to work hard to see how we can make this a positive experience."

Public transit upgrade should accompany bill

John Teti, owner of The Shark Club Bar & Grill, approves of the legislation as well, but says if the provincial government wants to strengthen impaired driving laws, it should invest in better public transportation as well.

"If you want to discourage people from drinking and driving you need to provide a way for those people to get home and I think that's where we're failing, and failing miserably."

The SkyTrain and SeaBus service out of downtown Vancouver close down by 1:22 a.m. on the weekend, Teti said, despite many bars staying open until 3 -- leaving bar and club patrons with few options.

"There's no way in the world that taxis can accommodate all those people," he said. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Mike Killeen