W I N E G R OW E R S C A N A DA
Seven years later, federal, provincial
and territorial governments have signed the
ambitious Canadian Free Trade Agreement,
but have excluded the alcohol sector altogether;
despite studies finding that interprovincial
barriers cost the Canadian economy
$130 billion annually and that nine in
10 Canadians support the removal of interprovincial
barriers for direct-to-consumer
alcohol delivery.
Only three provinces – British
Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia –
have actually amended their laws to allow
residents to access wines directly from outof
province wineries. Despite representing
only 19 per cent of Canada’s population,
these provinces have demonstrated the
benefits of liberalization to local economies,
producers and consumers, as well
as set the regulatory foundation for other
provinces to follow. Since these three provinces
opened their wine markets, 2018
Statistics Canada data shows that sales
of Canadian wine products (both 100
per cent Canadian and blended) in Nova
Scotia have grown by 88 per cent, in B.C. by
17 per cent and in Manitoba by 24 per cent.
The beverage alcohol sector remains
one of the toughest challenges to overcome
in interprovincial trade. That’s why
the Toronto Regional Board of Trade,
together with Wine Growers Canada and
partners across Canada (including the
seven biggest urban chambers of commerce),
called on Premiers to sign an ‘icebreaker’
deal in December 2018, which
would allow for e-commerce of any locallyproduced
alcoholic beverage across any
interprovincial border. Closing a targeted
icebreaker deal would support consumer
choice for Canadian products and broaden
market access to our Canadian producers.
It could also build political commitment
and momentum to take down other
interprovincial barriers that are holding
The beverage alcohol sector remains one of the toughest
challenges to overcome in interprovincial trade.
Tyler Olson/123rf
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