Wine, spirits to move more easily between B.C., Saskatchewan
Christy Clark, Brad Wall to drop barriers to consumers buying direct from producers
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark and Saskatchewan's Brad Wall agreed today to lift barriers to allow consumers in both provinces to order wines and craft spirits directly from producers, and have them delivered to their door.
"We still need to hammer out all the fine details but broadly it will mean it is no longer illegal to bring B.C. wine into Saskatchewan or Saskatchewan wine into British Columbia for personal use," Clark said Friday morning.
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"We're also going to go a little bit further and ensure craft spirits — the craft spirits industry in British Columbia and in Saskatchewan is growing very quickly — make that legal for individuals to import between our provinces."
Wall has been promoting in particular a dill pickle vodka from the Last Mountain distillery to his colleagues.
Clark says today's announcement is the first of many more across the country.
"Manitoba has now made it possible. Nova Scotia is very close to finishing their regulations which will allow it to be possible. Saskatchewan is now on track."
Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne has told reporters that she is interested in a similar deal for her province.
The wine part of the deal between B.C. and Saskatchewan will take effect by the end of the year. Wall hopes the craft spirits will be able to move more freely between the two provinces by June 2015.
The premiers made the announcement at their annual summer meeting in Charlottetown.