Notley: Alberta will stop importing B.C. wine
The fight over Alberta oil coming to British Columbia has now escalated into a wine war.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley announced Tuesday that Alberta is banning wine from B.C. wineries effective immediately.
“This is one good step to waking B.C. up to the fact that they can’t attack our industry without a response from us,” Notley said at a legislature news conference. “The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Control Board will put an immediate halt to the import of B.C. wine into Alberta.”
She said in 2017, there were 17.2 million bottles imported — the equivalent of about 1.4 million cases — with an estimated value of $70 million per year for B.C. wineries.
“The wine industry is very important to B.C.
Not nearly as important as the energy industry is to
Alberta and Canada, but important nonetheless,” said Notley.
“I’m also encouraging all Albertans: next time you’re thinking about ordering a glass of wine, think of our energy workers. Think of your neighbours. Think of our community. Think about our province, and maybe choose some terrific Alberta craft beer instead.”
The wine ban is the latest move in a growing dispute over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion that would carry more Alberta oilsands bitumen to the B.C. coast.
The $7.4-billion project, approved in November 2016 by the federal government, would triple capacity on the 1,150 km line, which runs from Edmonton to Burnaby.
It’s the linchpin component of Alberta’s fight to get a better overseas price for its oil, which is currently being sold at a discount on the North American market while the province racks up budget deficits over $10 billion.
Last week, B.C. Premier John Horgan’s NDP government announced it is looking at rules to limit any increase in the import of diluted bitumen until an independent panel can better analyze whether the system is safe and if it can adequately deal with a spill disaster.
Horgan has said the issue is about the B.C. government’s responsibility to keep the coastline and inland waterways safe.
Notley conceded the ban on B.C. wine may violate interprovincial free trade rules, but said they are moving ahead anyway.