Latest news with #LiquorandCannabis
CBC
14-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
AGLC pauses storage fees for Alberta vendors with U.S. liquor stuck in warehouse
Social Sharing Alberta liquor agencies whose purchased U.S. products are stuck in a warehouse will not be charged storage fees for up to three months, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis said in a bulletin all agents Thursday. Last week, as part of its response to U.S. tariffs, the Alberta government banned imports of American alcohol through AGLC, the Crown corporation that regulates the province's alcohol industry, until further notice. Christopher Walker, owner of Liquid Assets Imports in Calgary, which distributes alcohol to restaurants and retailers, told CBC News on Thursday that U.S. products already purchased by vendors are being held up in a warehouse. The storage comes at a cost, on top of the revenue vendors can't earn while U.S. liquor imports are under a ban, Walker said. "There are millions of dollars that have been seized by the government, of product that belongs to import agencies. It's not the government's money, it's our money," Walker told CBC News before the AGLC issued its bulletin. "It's impossible to make a pivot, in order to reinvest money into other products from other countries, if we can't gain access to it." Later Thursday, AGLC said it is pausing the storage charges for U.S. liquor products that have built up since March 6. The pause will last until June 7, unless the province's restriction on U.S. purchases lifts before then. "During this period, liquor agencies are encouraged to review their U.S. inventory in storage. There are options to remove products from the warehouse, including returns to the liquor supplier," said the bulletin from the AGLC's liquor services administration. CBC News has obtained a copy of the bulletin. For months, U.S. President Donald Trump has been threatening stiff tariffs on Canadian imports — 10 per cent on energy products and 25 per cent on everything else. WATCH | How Alberta is responding to U.S. tariffs: How Alberta is responding to U.S. tariffs 8 days ago Duration 2:07 Trump paused the tariffs until April 2, but only for Canadian goods that comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the free trade agreement between the three North American neighbours. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced the ban on imports of American liquor last week as part of the provincial response to Trump's tariff threats. "We'll just have to drink a bit more B.C. wine and Alberta craft beer and spirits — and that's just fine with us," Smith said in announcing the measure at a March 5 news conference. Liquor sales in Alberta are private. Companies buy product from AGLC, and the product is stored in a warehouse until it is delivered to those vendors and distributors. AGLC oversees importation, and pays suppliers for their products after the product is sold to retailers and other licensees. WATCH | Why American booze is still on Alberta shelves: Why American booze is still on Alberta shelves 7 days ago Duration 1:51 Some provinces have pulled American liquor off shelves in response to U.S. tariffs, but Alberta's stock is still on display despite a similar retaliatory measure. The province's system is set up differently than other jurisdictions with Alberta, Liquor Gaming and Cannabis and privately owned liquor stores. As CBC's Travis McEwan reports, consumers will still have the power to choose — for now. AGLC and Connect Logistics Services, a company the Crown corporation contracts to warehouse and distribute alcohol products, are working to implement the change as soon as possible, the bulletin said. Any charges businesses accumulated since March 6 will be credited, it added. An AGLC spokesperson confirmed it sent the bulletin, but directed questions from CBC to Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, the ministry responsible for provincial Crown corporations. In a statement, Brandon Aboultaif, press secretary to Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally, said Trump's latest executive order, which paused the tariffs another month, is unclear about which goods will be tariffed and "what legal forms and requirements will be needed to qualify." Because of that, the province is moving ahead with its tariff response, Aboultaif said. The government recognizes that liquor businesses are facing challenges, and is "continually assessing impacts and exploring solutions" to mitigate impacts on businesses, he said. Aboultaif said affected liquor importers should stay in touch with AGLC. In the meantime, the government will deliver updates as the situation develops, he added. Walker, meanwhile, described the current situation as "a great opportunity" to buy domestic products, or those made in countries other than the U.S. He also said he believes the government should not get to dictate what can or cannot be bought.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Calgary to consider allowing legal cannabis sales at adults-only events
Cannabis retailers may soon be more common at Calgary events, as city council will soon consider allowing the sale of marijuana products at adults-only events. Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner revealed a notice of motion this week that she'll bring to the city's executive committee on Tuesday, calling on council to allow cannabis to be sold at events where minors aren't allowed. Penner cited events like Badlands Music Festival, Chasing Summer and the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival as examples that could benefit from the decision. On Thursday, Penner told reporters the decision would align Calgary policy with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis rules that were updated a year ago to permit licensed cannabis retailers to set up temporary sales at adults-only events. "What this does is level the playing field between cannabis and alcohol, which are both legal substances," Penner said. "This is really just about enabling business and creating opportunity for businesses that are legally permissible." After a technical review next week, the motion will be debated by city councillors on Feb. 25. Omar Khan, chief communications and public affairs officer for cannabis company High Tide Inc., welcomed the news about Penner's notice of motion. High Tide, which operates 191 stores under the Canna Cabana brand across Canada, has more than 30 locations of the store in Calgary. Opening up legal sales at local festivals would also help the cannabis industry compete with the illicit market, which Khan identifies as a growing problem for the industry. "We know that when you move a legal cannabis store into a neighbourhood that hasn't previously been served, illicit market activity does go down, because most people want to follow the law," Khan said. Some Calgary festivals have already hosted cannabis consumption spaces. Chinook Cannabis organized a place for cannabis to be delivered and consumed at the Badlands Music Festival last year. Meanwhile, the Calgary Folk Music Festival opened its first legal cannabis-consumption area in 2019. Diplomat Consulting president Nathan Mison, who has advocated for legal cannabis sales at Alberta events for years, argues that cannabis sales should be as ubiquitous at such events as alcohol. Even though Alberta changed its provincial policy on the matter a year ago, Mison said he understands the delay for Calgary to catch up is partly due to more pressing matters for a local government to deal with. But the resulting year-long gap meant Calgary could see how cannabis sales worked at events in Edmonton last year. Plantlife Cannabis, for instance, sold its products at Edmonton's own Great Outdoors Comedy Festival last summer. "Sometimes the best thing that can happen when you're looking for big regulatory changes is a sister city like Edmonton went first and it wasn't a disaster. It was pretty much a moot issue that it happened," Mison said. Looking ahead, Mison added that cannabis hospitality overall is an untapped market in Alberta. He imagines future opportunities for restaurants, bars and cafes to offer cannabis products for chefs and mixologists to use either as an inebriant or as a relaxing agent. In the meantime, Mison noted cannabis sales at music and comedy festivals makes sense when it's not uncommon to encounter the substance in these spaces already. "Let's be a little honest with ourselves as well, it's not like cannabis isn't being consumed at events during legalization or previous to legalization," Mison said. "All you're doing is taking this out of the backrooms and back hallways, and putting it right out in front."
