Cautious optimism in B.C. as provinces agree to slash barriers to booze trade
Provincial and federal representatives revealed the memorandum of understanding Tuesday that commits them to advancing direct-to-consumer alcohol sales between provinces.
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, PEI, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Yukon have signed on, with the goal to allow sales by next spring.
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Despite the step forward, the province's wine growers say they don't understand why the long wait is necessary.
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'It's pretty hard to get excited about something we haven't seen the details of that won't happen until May 2026,' said Jeff Guignard, president and CEO of Wine Growers of British Columbia.
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'And as with most things in government, there's no guarantee that timeline won't be extended, but our priority is to work with the government partners to get this done as quickly as possible.'
Speaking at Tuesday's update, Quebec Economy Minister Christopher Skeete said the provinces were dealing with a complex subject and that they need to ensure that taxation and public health considerations are properly dealt with.
'We are actively working to make sure we can do this the right way, and we hope Quebecers and Canadians will be able to benefit from this as soon as possible, but you understand this has never been done before, so we want to do it right,' he said.
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In a statement, B.C.'s Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General called the memorandum of understanding 'an important first step before undertaking necessary analysis and engagement.'
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'Opening the national market for direct liquor sales may create opportunities for B.C. liquor manufacturers to access new customer bases and grow their businesses, while continuing to support B.C. jobs and the provincial economy,' it said.
'Removing interprovincial trade barriers for liquor is complex and important work. We are working with our counterparts across the country to improve the flow of liquor sales across provincial and territorial borders.'
B.C.'s wine and craft beer sectors employed more than 12,000 and 4,000 people, respectively, as of 2017 but have faced stiff headwinds in recent years between the COVID-19 pandemic, devastating weather in the B.C. Interior, inflation and U.S. tariffs.
B.C. became one of the first jurisdictions in Canada to allow direct-to-consumer sales from other provinces for 100 per cent Canadian wine for personal consumption in 2012, according to the provincial government.
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