Business group backs Okanagan MP’s bill

One of Canada’s largest business groups has thrown its support behind an Okanagan MP’s bid to loosen up interprovincial restrictions on shipping alcoholic beverages.

“Like many sectors of the economy since the beginning of the pandemic, many small brewers, vintners and distillers have had to make considerable efforts to sell more of their products online in order to generate revenues,” the Canadian Federation of Independent Business wrote in a letter to Dan Albas.

“As a result, being able to access a wider range of customers across the country is now vital to their survival. Allowing small producers to ship across the country would enable Canadians to safely access their products while directly supporting local businesses and jobs.”

Albas, the Conservative MP for Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, in December introduced private member’s Bill C-260, which would amend the Canada Post Act to allow small- and medium-sized businesses anywhere in the country to use the Crown corporation to ship alcoholic beverages anywhere in the country, which isn’t possible today.

“It is gratifying to see that the CFIB shares my view that this bill will help small businesses all over Canada and open up new markets for them as they try and weather this pandemic,” Albas said in a press release.

“I look forward to seeing similar support coming from local and provincial governments, as well as chambers of commerce.”

The bill is also the focus of a petition on the House of Commons website.