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Vernon May 17 - 1,094 views
A Vernon-based craft distillery has started a petition to make it easier for craft spirits to get on the shelves of B.C. Liquor stores.
Tyler Dyck, CEO of Okanagan Craft Distilleries and president of the Craft Distillers Guild of British Columbia, says he has been trying to get the B.C. government to treat the distillers “equally” for the last eight years.
“The only way to do that is to fix these two small things that have been before them that they've said they're going to fix for eight years now," said Dyck.
Dyck told Castanet a VQA bottle of B.C. wine sold at government liquor stores would put $33 back in the producer's pocket. But when a $40 bottle of gin is sold from a government liquor store, the producer would only receive $13.
“None of them can afford to sell their products in government liquor stores because they don't have access to VQA, said Dyck.
He is also urging the government to loosen restrictions around production caps, which he says limits the ability of local distilleries of competing with foreign brands.
“If we're only allowed to make 50,000 litres, we can't even come close to supplying the need that would be needed to sell at those government liquor stores," he said.
"So the government has got BC craft distillers shackled and unable to supply the demand without getting kneecapped by incurring massive penalties."
Dyck added that BC distillers don’t have to deal with these issues when working with private liquor stores or government shops in other provinces.
In response to the petition, B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch told Castanet BC Liquor is adding more local alcohol to its shelves.
“BCL is adding more B.C. and Canadian-made products. This action includes putting out additional listings invitations for B.C. and Canadian-made products with a preference given to B.C. craft,” said the branch in an email.
The statement said the BCL has already committed to adding 120 BC-made products to its product selection and is reviewing the responses to the listing invitation for spirits that closed the first week of April.
