After alcohol was excluded from a deal this week to drop interprovincial trade barriers, some in the booze industry say they’re perplexed and disappointed — and that they’ve waited long enough for provinces to make the change.
However, food and alcohol were conspicuously left off the list — the latter industry having long advocated for the removal of the barriers, well before U.S. tariffs spurred a national campaign to make free trade between the provinces easier.
“I understand the regulations are complicated, but we haven’t been talking about this for weeks. We’ve been talking about this for years,” (Jeff Guignard, the CEO of WineBC) added. “Our industry has been waiting, and it’s having a serious impact.”
B.C. wine producers have a bone to pick with Alberta, especially. Their neighbouring province added an ad valorem tax on wine products sold to Albertans in April, which has made out-of-province, winery-to-consumer shipments more expensive, according to Guignard.
Nothing stops the LCBO or SAQ from still being the monopolist agent. Wine from Chile goes through the LCBO even when handled through private agencies on consignment. Can do the same for other provinces wanting to sell here. No loss of revenue or challenge to gov monopoly.
It is stupid that I can buy around the world, but not from my own country. Fix this shit fast.