Alberta liquor agencies whose products bought in the US are trapped in a warehouse will not be charged storage rates for up to three months, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis on a bulletin on a bulletin to all agents on Thursday said Thursday.
Last week, as part of its response to American tariffs, the Alberta government forbade American alcohol imports through AGLC, the Crown Corporation that regulates the province’s alcohol industry, until new notice.
Christopher Walker, owner of Liquid Assets Import in Calgary, who distributes alcohol to restaurants and retailers, told CBC News on Thursday that US products already bought by vendors are detained in a warehouse.
The storage has a cost, in addition to the income suppliers they cannot win, while the imports of US liquors are under a prohibition, Walker said.
“There are millions of dollars that have been seized by the Government, of the product that belongs to import agencies. It is not government money, it is our money,” Walker told CBC News before the AGLC issued its bulletin.
“It is impossible to make a pivot, to reinvest money in other products from other countries, if we cannot access it.”
Later on Thursday, AGLC said it is stopping storage charges for US liquor products that have accumulated since March 6.
The pause will last until June 7, unless the restriction of the province in the purchases of the USA. It rises before that.
“During this period, liquor agencies are encouraged to review their US inventory. UU. CBC News has obtained a copy of the bulletin.
For months, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has threatened with rigid tariffs in Canadian imports, 10 percent in energy products and 25 percent in everything else.
Alberta is joining other provinces with measures designed to respond to US tariffs. That includes stopping the sale of alcohol and acquiring Canadian products. Travis Mcewan has the details.
Trump stopped the tariffs until April 2, but only for Canadian goods that comply with the Mexico (Cusma) agreement of Canada and Canada, the free trade agreement between the three American neighbors.
Alberta Prime Minister Danielle Smith announced the prohibition of American liquor imports last week as part of the provincial response to Trump’s tariff threats.
“We will have to drink a little more BC Wine and Alberta Craft Beer and Spirits, and that’s fine for us,” Smith said when announcing the measure at a press conference on March 5.
Liquor sales in Alberta are private. Companies buy AGLC products, and the product is stored in a warehouse until they are delivered to those suppliers and distributors. AGLC supervises import and pay suppliers for their products after the product is sold to retailers and other licensees.
Some provinces have drawn the American liqueur from the shelves in response to American tariffs, but Alberta’s actions are still on display despite a similar reprisal measure. The province system is established differently from other jurisdictions with Alberta, liquor and cannabis games and private -owned liquor stores. As Travis Mcewan of CBC reports, consumers will still have the power to choose, for now.
AGLC and Connect Logistics Services, a company that Crown Corporation hires the warehouse and distributes alcohol products, are working to implement the change as soon as possible, said the bulletin.
Any accumulated collection company will be accredited since March 6, he added.
An AGLC spokesman confirmed that he sent the newsletter, but directed the CBC questions to the Alberta service and the reduction of the bureaucracy, the responsible ministry of the provincial crown corporations.
In a statement, Brandon Aboultaif, press secretary of the Alberta Service Minister, Dale Nally, said that Trump’s last executive order, which stopped the tariffs another month, is not clear about what goods will be tariffs and “what legal forms will be needed to qualify.”
Because of that, the province advances with its tariff response, said Abulttaif.
The Government acknowledges that liquor companies face challenges and “continually evaluate the impacts and explore solutions” to mitigate the impacts on companies, he said.
Aboultaif said that affected liquor importers should be kept in contact with AGLC. Meanwhile, the government will deliver updates as the situation develops, he added.
Walker, meanwhile, described the current situation as a “great opportunity” to buy national products, or those made in countries other than the US.
He also said that he believes that the government should not dictate what can be purchased or cannot be bought.
