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Wine in grocery stores April 1

Grocery stores in the province will be able to stock 100 per cent BC wine on their shelves beginning April 1.

This is phase two of the liquor-in-store model announced by the province Friday.

This second phase will allow existing VQA stores and independent wine stores to relocate or transfer their licence to an eligible grocery store... as long as the licence is only used to sell 100 per cent BC wine.

These licences are not subject to the one-kilometre restrictions, allowing for more flexibility and choice of locations when moving into a grocery store.

"Our wine-on-shelves model is unique to BC and strikes a balance between the enhanced convenience and choice for consumers and the promise we made to protect health and public safety," says Attorney General, Suzanne Anton.

A limited number of new licences will also be made available specifically for the 100 per cent BC wine-on-shelves model.

Details of these licences will be available in the new year.

All off-the-shelf wine transactions will need to be done at designated registers, staffed by employees who have Serving It Right certification and are at least 19 years of age.

Eligible grocery stores will have to align with the store-within-a-store model, maintaining a minimum of 10,000 square feet and approximately a 75 per cent focus on food products and service.

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