Canada: The government of Alberta won't stock B.C. wines that sell directly to consumers

Published Jan 31, 2024

Tridge summary

Alberta's liquor wholesaler, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), has threatened to stop stocking British Columbia (B.C.) wines in retail stores unless B.C. vintners stop shipping their products directly to consumers, a practice that allegedly bypasses Alberta's private liquor retailers and impacts the general revenue fund. B.C. winemakers argue they are not breaking any laws and that Alberta is trying to impose its regulations on another province. This issue arises from a 2018 Supreme Court decision allowing provinces to restrict purchases not going through provincial licensing agencies, contributing to Canadians consuming a lower proportion of their own wines than any other wine-producing country.

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Original content

EDMONTON — An interprovincial wine war is fermenting after Alberta's liquor wholesaler told vintners in British Columbia that it won't stock their products in retail stores unless they stop shipping it directly to consumers. "They are really making a threat," said Al Hudec, a lawyer hired by winemakers to push back against the Alberta move. "The B.C. wineries are not breaking any laws in Alberta. This is just muscling the wineries." Last week, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, which regulates the sale of liquor in the province by controlling wholesale and distribution, sent a letter to wineries in B.C. It said the agency had been investigating the practice of consumers in Alberta ordering wine directly from B.C. wineries instead of buying it in Alberta stores. "Our investigation found tangible evidence of (your winery's) involvement in (direct-to-consumer) shipping of wines across provincial borders in Alberta," said one of the letters, shared with The Canadian Press. "To ...

Source: Timescolonist