B.C. already seeking new wine markets in Asia, U.S.
Premier John Horgan says he plans to intensify efforts to find new markets for B.C. wine, which was already being done before Alberta announced its ban.
Horgan said he promoted the industry during a recent trip to China, South Korea and Japan, and plans to discuss increasing the province’s market share south of the border on a trip to Washington state next month.
“We are defending industries right now,” Horgan said Thursday. “We’ve made it clear that we are going to be seeking new markets to replace any lost market we may have in Alberta.”
The wine prohibition is the latest escalation of a dispute between the provinces over the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project by Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd.
B.C. announced plans last week to review limits on diluted bitumen shipments until it is confident a spill can be cleaned up. Alberta responded by halting talks on buying electricity from B.C. before it banned wine imports from its neighbour. Alberta says it imported about 17 million bottles of B.C. wine last year, worth an estimated $160 million retail.
Horgan said the province is investigating whether the ban violates interprovincial trade agreements.
“We’re reviewing our options and we’ll take action when appropriate,” he said.
Horgan maintains the proposal to limit diluted-bitumen shipments isn’t meant to be provocative, but is aimed at protecting B.C.’s environment and economy. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has called the proposal an unconstitutional attempt to stop the $7.4-billion pipeline expansion. Ottawa has already approved the project, which would triple the capacity of the pipeline between Edmonton to Burnaby and increase tanker traffic off the West Coast sevenfold.
Earlier Thursday, the federal government announced an overhaul of the environmental assessment process used to approve the Trans Mountain project. Under new rules, projects would have to be assessed and either approved or denied within two years, and reviews would consider health, social and economic effects, as well as Indigenous rights.
Horgan said he had not read the entire proposal, but commended the federal government for recognizing the need to keep pace with changing views and perspectives. The changes also seem to suggest the former system was flawed, he said.
“Does this say that the processes that were in place yesterday were adequate? Clearly the federal government doesn’t think so and many British Columbians don’t think so,” Horgan said.