Latest news with #AGLC
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘To say that our American sales fell off a cliff would not be an exaggeration:' Calgary wine store owner
Andrew Ferguson, the owner of the Kensington Wine Market, said sales of U.S. liquor have 'fallen off a cliff'. Sales of American booze have 'fallen off a cliff' for one Calgary wine store owner, but luckily for the Kensington Wine Market, it's a pretty shallow cliff. After it was confirmed that Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) will resume selling American liquor products after a three-month pause, Kensington Wine Market owner Andrew Ferguson said that they never actually went away. "They are bringing it back but they're bringing it back with a tariff on it,' he said. 'I think it might surprise people in Alberta, but stores and restaurants have not been prevented from buying American products for the past three months -- but I think like most, we've seen a massive decrease in demand for it." On Friday, the AGLC announced it will 'resume accepting liquor products from the United States, effective immediately,' at the direction of the provincial government. This will affect all liquor products registered with the AGLC and declared to Canada Border Services Agency. Products that were shipped from the U.S. after March 4 will continue to be subject to a surtax of 25 per cent of the invoice price, the AGLC added. 'I think when it all went down, I think a lot of people thought, 'oh, you're going to just stop selling this stuff immediately,'' Ferguson said, 'but they don't realize that before a bottle of bourbon or wine or Canadian whiskey or whatever gets delivered to our stores, we have to pay for it. 'So we already own that stuff -- so the idea that we aren't going to sell something that we've already paid for is a bit tough (to swallow),' he said. What really changed, he said, was the appetite among customers for made-in-the-U.S.A. booze. 'It's a big drop in demand,' he said. 'The natural depletion of a case of wine – like maybe we'll sell through in about two or three weeks -- but we've had some where we haven't even sold (through) an American case in three months." Ferguson said U.S. liquor generally amounts to around 10 per cent of his sales, but that has gone down since Trump's tariffs were announced. 'There are still people buying it (U.S. alcohol) and we don't take a place of judgement on it – (but) we've (also) got lots of alternatives for them,' he said. 'I'd say by and large the bigger response has been 'I want a bottle of whiskey for cocktails or I want a bottle of wine. I don't want an American product.'" 'By and large, the disproportionate response has been more the other way,' he added. 'And for those people that want to continue to purchase their favourite American products, we still carry a lot of them but not as many as we might have had three months ago.' Support Canadian producers The initial decision was made to support Canadian producers in the wake of U.S. tariffs, Premier Danielle Smith said in March. 'If the Americans aren't going to buy products from our Canadian companies, we have to,' the premier said. 'That means we should be buying more Canadian beer, more Canadian spirits and more Canadian wine. And so that's the reality of what we're facing.' Ferguson said there was plenty of alternatives to American liquor. 'Whether it's wine or especially beer here in Alberta, or spirits, there's a lot of great alternatives,' he said. 'So if you want an alternative to bourbon, we've got alternatives to bourbon here. 'We've got great wines, not only from Canada but other countries with which we have a fair trading relationship.' Lifting restrictions In a statement Friday night, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally said the government lifting restrictions on the purchase of U.S. alcohol and video lottery terminals signals a 'renewed commitment to open and fair trade with our largest partner.' 'The decision sets the stage for more constructive negotiations ahead of a Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement renewal, potentially leading to increased trade opportunities and economic growth for Alberta,' Nally added. Ferguson said the lack of clarity and unpredictability of the supply chain created by Trump's tariffs is taking a toll on consumer habits. 'Maybe they (the UCP) know something we don't,' he said, 'that there's a trade deal that's coming soon between Canada and the U.S. and this is a way to offer a bit of a carrot. 'What we've seen overall,' he addedm '(is that) consumer demand is down, consumers are worried about their money -- and so the longer this drags on, the harder it's going to be on retail.' For more about the Kensington Wine Market, go here. With files from CTV's Tyler Barrow, Steven Dyer and Kevin Green
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Alberta gives U.S. liquor imports thumbs-up
Stores in Alberta can now sell newer American liquor products after a provincial agency ended a three-month pause ignited by a tariff dispute between Canada and the U.S. Article content The directive came from the province as Canada shifts its approach from retaliating to negotiating with its southern neighbour on economic policies. Article content Article content Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally, in a statement on Friday night, said the government's decision heralds a 'renewed commitment to open and fair trade with our largest partner.' Article content Article content 'The decision sets the stage for more constructive negotiations ahead of a Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement renewal, potentially leading to increased trade opportunities and economic growth for Alberta,' Nally added. Article content Article content The decision concerns liquor products registered with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis agency (AGLC) and declared to the Canada Border Services Agency. A 25 per cent surtax will continue to be levied on those items shipped from the U.S. after March 4 and will be collected by the provincial agency. Article content Article content Ravinder Singh, a manager at ACE Liquor Discounters Edmonton Trail, said the decision likely won't affect the store's sales, as the shop's inventory still holds enough stock of older American products. Article content The move to ban the sale of American liquor was made in early March amid escalating trade tensions. Article content Article content 'If the Americans aren't going to buy products from our Canadian companies, we have to,' Premier Danielle Smith said at the time. Article content 'That means we should be buying more Canadian beer, more Canadian spirits and more Canadian wine. And so that's the reality of what we're facing.' Article content The ban was lifted March 18, but the sales were confined to AGLC's central locations. Article content Singh said the demand for American products dropped after March owing to a wave of patriotism across the country. Whereas the store sold them daily, the products are now being bought twice or thrice a week, even three months after the pause.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
AGLC to bring back liquor from United States ‘effective immediately'
A sign is placed in front of the American whiskey section at a B.C. liquor store after top selling American made products have been removed from shelves in Vancouver, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) will resume selling liquor products from the United States after a three month pause. In March, the AGLC stopped the sale of all American alcohol products. On Friday, the AGLC announced it will 'resume accepting liquor products from the United States, effective immediately,' at the direction of the provincial government. This will affect all liquor products registered with the AGLC and declared to Canada Border Services Agency. Products that were shipped from the U.S. after March 4 will continue to be subject to a surtax of 25 per cent of the invoice price, the AGLC added. The initial decision was made to support Canadian producers in the wake of U.S. tariffs, Premier Danielle Smith said in March. 'If the Americans aren't going to buy products from our Canadian companies, we have to,' the premier said. 'That means we should be buying more Canadian beer, more Canadian spirits and more Canadian wine. And so that's the reality of what we're facing.' CTV News Edmonton reached out to the province to ask why the decision to resume selling U.S. liquor was made. With files from CTV News Calgary's Kevin Green
Edmonton Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Canadian liquor sales flourish in Edmonton as U.S. products return to shelves
Article content Distributors can resume U.S. liquor product sales, but Edmonton retailers say consumer preference may have already moved on. 'Is the bourbon selling? Yes. Is it selling as good as it was? No. Is Canadian selling better? Yes,' said Lionel Usunier, owner of Keg n Cork Liquor Company (3845 99 St.). Upon returning for his second term in the White House in January, U.S. President Donald Trump put tariffs on Canadian goods, sparking outrage across the country that has lasted since early this year. While Canada has responded with retaliatory tariffs, the Alberta government took its own steps in March by directing Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) to pause all purchases of U.S. products — an order that AGLC announced on Friday has been rescinded. While consumers may have their choice of U.S. products back, their preferences may have already changed.
CBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Alberta to allow liquor sales as early at 6:30 a.m. during this year's Calgary Stampede
The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission will once again extend the hours that alcohol can be legally sold during this year's Calgary Stampede. "Bars, restaurants and lounges in the city of Calgary have the option to start liquor service at 8 a.m. during the 2025 Stampede, which runs from July 4 to 13," the provincial agency said Tuesday in a news release. The changes are a "blanket approval" that applies to all Class A, B and C liquor licensees, the AGLC said. This includes bars, lounges, taprooms and convention centres within Calgary. "Licensees do not have to apply for this particular extension, which is for early service only," the agency said. Closing hours for liquor service are not changing. Liquor licensees along the Stampede Parade route can start selling alcohol even earlier — at 7 a.m. — on the morning of the parade, July 4. In addition, private events held in the city during the Stampede that obtain permission from the AGLC may start alcohol sales as early as 6:30 a.m. "Hours for special events are determined on a case-by-case basis," the agency said. The AGLC regularly changes alcohol-service hours during major international sporting events or major community events. It has extended the sales hours for the Stampede annually since 2014.
