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West Kelowna Apr 24 - 6,095 views
West Kelowna Apr 22 - 28,292 views2025 is starting on a positive note for the Okanagan wine industry.
An inter-provincial agreement between B.C. and Alberta officially took effect this week. The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Direct-to-Consumer program allows B.C. wineries to again ship their products to Alberta customers.
“It’s huge,” says Wine Growers BC board chair Paul Sawler.
“Alberta is the second largest market for British Columbia wines. The latest information that we have is that somewhere between 15 and 18 per cent of wines produced in British Columbia are sold in Alberta.”
Approved BC wineries will now report and make payment to AGLC under the agreement, which will be evaluated at the end of 2025. It brings to a close a trade battle that began a year ago.
“I think it was Jan. 22 last year when the AGLC sent letters to individual wineries in British Columbia, telling them to either stop selling directly to consumers or they would not be allowed to sell in the wholesale channel,” Sawler recalls.
Most wineries suspended direct-to-consumer shipments to Alberta at that time, but many resumed them after BC Premier David Eby and Alberta’s Danielle Smith announced a memorandum of understanding in July 2024.
Wine club shipments have become integral for many Okanagan wineries.
“Selling directly to the end consumer is a profitable channel and probably the most profitable channel for most wineries,” notes Steven Lane, director of sales and marketing at Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery.
“So being able to formally harness the enthusiasm of Alberta and really kind of have a Canada-first approach to supporting the BC wine industry is absolutely paramount to our success.”
The trade spat added to the woes of Okanagan wineries hit by slumps in tourism and consecutive years of deep freezes that took a huge bite out of yields. Still, Lane is feeling optimistic about the year ahead.
“Obviously, it’s always a fingers-crossed thing as far as the weather and the health of the vines, but we’re looking forward to making some recoveries and looking forward to a BC harvest in 2025," he said.
