B.C. wineries will be able to sell to Alberta again with the lift of the recent wine ban.
The two week-long ban was put in place by Alberta Premeir Rachel Notley as a response to the B.C. government’s decision to continue reviewing oil-spill risk of the expansion of the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline.
Notley announced the lift of the ban on Thursday, following B.C. Premier John Horgan’s announcement that the B.C. government will let the courts decide if B.C. can ban Alberta’s increased bitumen exports.
The BC Wine Institute released a statement supporting the lift of the ban but voicing remaining concern.
“We welcome the Alberta government’s decision to suspend the prohibition,” the statement read. “However, uncertainty remains. We remain concerned that any provincial government believes it has the constitutional authority to impose trade bans on Canadian products based on their place of origin.”
The Institute said that they are currently working with legal counsel to determine their path forward, but they are “thrilled that Alberta consumers one again have the choice to purchase and enjoy B.C. wines, as they have long done.”
