Province listens to wineries

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer - Castanet File Photo

Wineries gathered at a meeting last Thursday in Penticton.

The wineries are speaking, and the province appears to be listening.

Representatives with the B.C. Alliance for Smart Liquor Retail Choices met with members of Premier Christy Clark's staff Monday to talk about concerns over a shift to sell B.C. wines in grocery stores.

The alliance claims moving away from selling products in independent liquor and wine stores could severely compromise small and medium sized wineries in the province.

Kim Pullen, president of Church and State Winery, called the meeting productive.

Pullen said the province is listening to those concerns.

"The province agreed to meet again with stakeholders to look at the issues and that work will start immediately," said Pullen.

There will be a maximum of 24 new licences available in February or March of next year under Bill 22. Those will be for 100 per cent B.C. wine only.

The additional time before licences are issued will give stakeholders time to have effective input.

A group, comprised of wineries, private retailers and grocery store operators will discuss how to implement the new licences in a way that supports small and medium sized wineries, while also protecting private retailers.

A similar meeting was held in Penticton last week. That meeting was attended by more than 100 people, mostly owners of small and medium sized wineries.

Michelle Cadario, the Premier's deputy chief of staff told those at the meeting the province would not do anything to jeopardize the industry.

"The government lived up to that promise and now it's up to industry groups to come up with a strategy which will benefit all of us," said Pullen.

"The government listened to our concerns that we risked losing two or three of our valuable sales chains and it was clear from the meeting they don't want that to happen."