Liquor store association wants quick end to Alberta-B.C. trade war

The Alberta Liquor Store Association is hoping for a quick resolution to the trade war that's now preventing businesses from bringingin new bottles of B.C. wine.

"We would like it to end as quickly as possible," ALSA president Ivonne Martinez told CBC News Wednesday.

There's beena mixed reaction from several of the ALSA's600 memberssince Premier Rachel Notley announced a ban on new imports of B.C. wine Tuesday, Martinez said.

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She said some memberschain and independent operatorsare a little perplexed by the move.

"[They're] just not understanding why we're impacted by this when it's supposed to be a pipeline issue," she said.

"It's definitely not something we were expectingnor wanted."

Stores carrying B.C. wines can expect a fiveto eight per cent drop in profits when the supply runs out, she added, which isexpected to happen in about a month.

Approximately 160,000 cases of B.C. wine are leftin Alberta warehouses, theAlberta Gaming and Liquor Commission said.

• Sour grapes: Albertans react to boycott of B.C. wines

Stores and restaurants canstillsell the bottles they already have, but no new B.C. wines will be brought into Alberta until the ban is lifted, saidAGLC spokesperson Michelle Hynes-Dawson.

Private importers buy on behalf of stores and restaurants, but all liquor sold in the province has togo through the AGLC. TheAGLCacts like amiddle-person and isresponsible for regulating and storing liquor in its warehouses.

Too early to tell

Employees at Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants in South Edmonton don't seemworried about the wine supply in the short- to medium-term.

"There's lots of wine in the store here already," Stephen Richmond, manager and sommelier, said.

The boutique shop displays its wines according to region, with 95 per cent of its Canadian wines coming from B.C.

The shop orders once a week from the distribution warehouse, and Richmond said they placed their usual order on Wednesday.

Somecustomers said they will support the boycott and won't buy B.C. wines.

"We'll see which way that pans outin the next couple of weeks or months or soindeed if it lasts that long."

Bright side to the ban

In addition to wines from B.C., Alberta liquor stores have access to some 22,500 wine products from around the world, the AGLC said.

Martinez said the alternative optionsmay be the bright side to the ban, giving Albertans an opportunity to try other products.

"We're here to showcase as many products as we can," she said. "There's many fabulous products out there right now that perhaps Albertans haven't had a chance to look at."

Richmond also sees the more positive side of the boycott.

"If people decide they don't want to buy B.C. wines, there's lots of choice everywhere else," hesaid.

He said whether wine connoisseurs branch out to other regional labels or support the ban on B.C. wines, it will help keep a healthy stock in the store.

"Then those wines already in the system are going to last even longer."

Richmond estimates between the in-store stockand that in the warehouse, his store will have enough B.C. wine to keep niche consumers happy for one to three months.

@natashariebe