Photo: Contributed

Vernon city council is staying out of the wine business.

Council decided to let the provincial government decide who could and couldn't sell vino.

The matter of a one-kilometre buffer zone around where wine can be sold was discussed, but in the end council voted to let the province regulate sales.

Councillors Dalvir Nahal and Catherine Lord liked the idea of a buffer zone.

Nahal said her concern was for small businesses and the impact of letting large corporations set up wine sales in grocery stores.

She claimed jobs would be lost at small businesses if special wine store licenses are issued to big stores.

The special wine stores would only be allowed to sell 100 per cent B.C. wine on grocery shelves. This includes cider, mead, and sake made from 100 per cent B.C. agricultural inputs. Beer and liquor sales are not part of this licensing regime.

Mayor Akbal Mund said he does not believe selling B.C. wines in grocery stores is going to have an adverse impact on surrounding smaller liquor outlets.

Mund pointed out only nine per cent of alcohol sales are wine, and only two per cent of sales are of B.C. wines.

“I don't think we're putting anyone out of business,” said Mund, adding that it is up to the province to determine where and by what outlet alcohol can be sold.