Restaurant liquor-serving times vary widely across Vancouver, which could change by the time the Olympics begin if a city staff recommendation is adopted. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

With the Olympics less than five months away, the City of Vancouver is examining a proposal to extend the hours in which many restaurants can serve alcohol.

A report by city staff going before a committee next week recommends all licensed restaurants be allowed to serve alcoholic beverages until 1 a.m. on weekdays and until 2 a.m. on weekends.

The current closing-time rules vary widely across the city, largely depending on when the licences were originally granted.

Since 2003, the city has required all new restaurants stop serving alcohol by midnight. That applies to 38 per cent of Vancouver's 1,000 licensed restaurants.

About 40 per cent can serve until 1 a.m. A small proportion of other establishments can serve until 12:30 a.m., and a few others until 1:30 a.m. Just 13 per cent can currently keep serving alcohol until 2 a.m., according to numbers provided by the city.

The B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association says it's time the city levelled the playing field for restaurants.

"It gives the guests, or the consumer of restaurants, easy access. They know exactly when the hours are," said association president Ian Tostenson.

City councillor Suzanne Anton said Vancouver is an international city, and it's important that it act like one in 2010.

"If we are going to do it at all in the city, it is something you would want to have in place before the Olympics," Anton said.

The report also recommends the city increase the licence fee for restaurants serving liquor, a change that could bring in an extra $450,000 annually in revenue.