Poor Regulation of Cellared in Canada Wines in the News
- Details
- Written by Mark Hicken Mark Hicken
- Category: Latest News Latest News
- Published: 19 September 2009 19 September 2009
British Columbia's inadequate wine laws were in the news again this weekend as the "cellared in Canada" issue got prominent coverage on CTV News, BCTV, the CBC and in the Vancouver Sun. This story is an important one because it relates to a long standing practice where some of B.C.'s largest wineries sell imported wine with misleading packaging such that consumers think that it is B.C. wine. The LDB is complicit in this because they list and display these products as being from British Columbia when in reality they consist of almost all imported juice.
The full story on the cellared in Canada controversy is on my marketing site.
BC Wine Institute - VQA Retail Issues Heat Up
- Details
- Written by Mark Hicken Mark Hicken
- Category: Latest News Latest News
- Published: 04 September 2009 04 September 2009
BC Budget: No News is Good News
- Details
- Written by Mark Hicken Mark Hicken
- Category: Latest News Latest News
- Published: 02 September 2009 02 September 2009
Wine Law Conference November 2009
- Details
- Written by Mark Hicken Mark Hicken
- Category: Latest News Latest News
- Published: 25 August 2009 25 August 2009
I am co-chairing a conference (with Chris Wilson of Bull Housser & Tupper) on "Winery and Wine Distribution Law." which is set for November 12 and 13 here in Vancouver. We have a great lineup of speakers from both the wine industry and the legal side. Plus we have a wine tasting scheduled for the Thursday evening with the incomparable team of Sid Cross and David Scholefield. The full program brochure is here.
There's a 50% discount on your registration fees if you are part of the winery business ... just register online but choose the student/new job option to get the discount (the winery discount is set out in the "Tuition" part of the program brochure).
Alberta Liquor Board (AGLC) Threatens BC Wineries
- Details
- Written by Mark Hicken Mark Hicken
- Category: Latest News Latest News
- Published: 29 July 2009 29 July 2009
The Alberta liquor board (AGLC) has written to several BC wineries threatening them with criminal enforcement action if they continue shipping wine to Alberta. The letter states that shipping wine directly to individual customers in Alberta is illegal under both the federal Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act ("IILA") and the provincial Gaming and Liquor Act and Regulation. The AGLC claims that all liquor shipped into Alberta must be consigned and shipped to the AGLC. The AGLC action raises countless issues, some practical and political, as well as a number of legal issues.
John Schreiner covers the issues from the wineries perspective here.
The various legal issues (including a workaround for shipping and possible solutions) are discussed in this article on wine shipping law in Canada which I have updated to deal with the AGLC's actions.