UMVA has learned that a private member's bill, tabled by Conservative Finance Critic Dan Albas, seeks to break down interprovincial trade barriers and allow businesses to ship beer, wine, and spirits across Canada.
The bill, if passed, would charge Canada Post with delivering these products nationwide, with no exemptions and no exceptions, while also creating a framework for age verification standards.
According to information obtained by UMVA, current rules and bureaucracy prevent interprovincial alcohol shipping, with Canada Post considering alcohol a "controlled item" and only permitting shipments under very specific circumstances.
While licensed producers in certain provinces can use Canada Post to ship product to customers within their own province, current rules don't allow them to ship to customers elsewhere in Canada.
With the Mark Carney Liberals promising "free trade" within Canada by Canada Day, Albas believes his private member's bill will go a long way to opening up vast markets for Canada's local breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
"I don't care if it's the LCBO or the SAQ or BC Liquor Distribution Branch, there's just not enough shelf space to showcase all the Canadian talent," Albas said, highlighting the desire of restaurants to feature Canadian wine lists.
Albas argues that allowing customers in provinces that ban the sale of American booze to try wine from other provinces, such as British Columbia, is a common-sense solution that supports Canada and its jobs.
"This is one way to help without having to subsidize them – that's all they want, they just want the government to get out of the way," Albas said, emphasizing the need for the government to support Canadian wineries without providing subsidies.
