BC-Alberta sign wine MOU

While there’s plenty of work yet to be done, a memorandum of understanding BC and Alberta signed this week will allow BC wineries to ship direct to consumers in Alberta after years of running battles over the issue.

The latest occurred this past winter, when Alberta blocked shipments from BC wineries – salt in the wounds of many, who had just seen a severe frost wipe out prospects of a 2024 vintage.

While shipments to Alberta account for just 1.1% to 2.75% of the business BC wineries do with Alberta, it is critical to serving customers and gaining exposure. Many see it as an unnecessary trade barrier, one that was ostensibly knocked down five years ago.

In June 2019, the federal government amended the Importation of Intoxicating Liquor Act to eliminate federal restrictions on interprovincial liquor shipments.

While each province could enact laws regulating liquor within their boundaries, interprovincial shipments were declared to be a federal matter.

The MOU announced July 16 confirms this, and couldn’t come at a better point in the year, according to industry advocacy group Wine Growers BC.

“The end of the Calgary Stampede marks the unofficial start of summer when visitors from Alberta flock to BC,” explains Wine Growers BC president and CEO Miles Prodan. “Today’s announcement brings a bit of welcome stability to the BC wine industry.”

Of course, many wineries have shipped to addresses in Alberta for years. However, the agreement to formally allow the practice is good news, especially as wineries seek to hold onto customers through the coming shortage of wines made wholly with BC grapes.

Discussions remain ongoing as to how wineries will maintain cash flow through the challenging days ahead. A federal support program for the industry has not been announced, and the idea of selling wines made from grapes grown outside the province has drawn mixed reactions from producers and consumers alike.