B.C. wine sales to Alberta consumers reopened

Jul 16, 2024 | 12:35 PM

Wineries in British Columbia can once again ship product directly to consumers in Alberta.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed by the two provinces to allow for the direct-to-consumer sales, allowing B.C.’s wine industry to reopen its sales and tourism channel.

“B.C. wines are world-class and should be enjoyed across Canada and around the world,” B.C. Premier David Eby said Tuesday, July 16.

“Today’s agreement ends the temporary ban on direct sales to customers in Alberta, and that’s a win for B.C.’s grape growers and wineries, as well as a win for Albertans who have excellent taste in wine.”

Direct-to-consumer sales allow people to access B.C. wines that may not be otherwise readily available in their region. The B.C. Government said this is essential for the tourism industry, as people visiting wineries in B.C. often place orders for delivery so they can enjoy the products once they’ve returned home.

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“This announcement could not come at a better time,”Miles Prodan, President and CEO of Wine Growers B.C., stated.

“The end of the Calgary Stampede marks the unofficial start of summer when visitors from Alberta flock to B.C., with many of them including a visit to their favourite B.C. wineries in their travel plans to enjoy amazing winery events and savour the abundance of 100% B.C. wines available.”

Wine Growers B.C. data shows that only 1.1 to 2.75 per cent of the Alberta-B.C. wine market is made up of direct-to-consumer sales, but the organization still deemed the service a “critical component to the growth and success of the B.C. wine industry” as it allows people to access products they may not be able to get from a local retailer.

The province noted there are roughly 350 wineries in B.C., with most of them concentrated in the Okanagan and Similkameen regions, and that the wine industry generates approximately $3.75-billion annually and employs more than 1,400 full-time workers.

B.C. wine tourism also brings in an estimated one-million tourists to the province each year which generates an average of $52-million in tourism related revenue.

“Reopening direct sales to Alberta is a welcome boost to grape growers and orchardists. Expanding the sales market is a great benefit to producers who are facing challenges with the impacts of climate change on their crops.” Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee, stated.

“People around the world are eager to enjoy our award-winning wines from B.C. This agreement is great news for our wineries and for all those Albertans who want the freedom to choose the wines they want. Our wine sector underpins so much more of the Okanagan economy as it contributes to our tourism, hospitality industry, fruit harvesting, food security, and our leadership in our made-in-B.C. agricultural industry. We will continue to work to support B.C. wineries and grape growers,” Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Smilikameen, added.

by Liam Verster

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