Buying wine out of province still a tough task

Well let's face facts here. The reason why these "free trade in wine" groups are mostly from BC is because they know they will take over the industry. The Okanagan region of BC is the only place with a Mediterranean climate in Canada so they have an unfair advantage. They want us to believe it's about freedom for consumers but it's about money pure and simple. They want to kill off our wine industry. The auto industry is in decline and Blackberry may be dying soon too. We can't afford to lose another industry.

Hi,

It has nothing to do with wine, it's money alright, but the main problem is Canadian Gov. monopoly..

Everything in Canada is a monopoly.

Prices in everything is a huge rip off of Canadian consumers.

After all we have to pay a huge 4 millions public employees who are overpaid.

LLBO is owned by Governments, in Ontario, they charge us 128 % tax, the Federal another 128 % tax, restauranrs and Hotels another 10 % extra.
Plus tarrifs for imports/
No wonder it's way overpriced, like the food board., like everything else//

We re being ripped off.

Simple and true/
Have a good day

I have made my own wine for the last 20 years and vastly prefer it over any commercially available wine.
I find many commercial wines give me headaches due to high level of sulphites that many commericial winneries use in their wines. Not an issue in home made as you can add just the amount to preserve the wine and no more.

If you love wine, try making it yourself. Very easy to do if you just follow a few basic steps.

Some of the most ignorant posts I have ever seen. Yes BC has an advantage particularly in the Okanagan Valley where the climate and soil is very well suited to growing grapes but the vast majority of the vineries are family businesses. The wine industry has been growing vibrantly over the past 30 years and many orchards have been replace with vineyards. Why would anyone who lives in this country call it "unfair" that these farmers who work just as hard as the farmers in the Niagara wine producing region be blocked from selling their product in other Provinces. As far as I am concerned BC has shown some leadership in bringing some common sense to this business. I would love to be able to order some nice Niagara whites directly from wineries in Ontario that aren't carried in government stores in BC. As far as the Province of BC is concerned I am free to do that... only one problem and that is your naval gazing government here in Ontario who are too dumb to figure that out.

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is the largest retailer of booze in the WORLD. Of course it doesn't want to give up that kind of market share by allowing inter-province wine trade.

I've lived in Niagara wine country all my life. Many of the wineries here are too small to produce the kind of volume the LCBO requires to carry them so you can only buy them directly from the producers. What a shame that no one outside our province can order these quality wines and that the suppliers' distribution channels, markets and revenues are so severely restricted by outdated laws.

When I was growing up here, there were only three wineries: Brights, Andres and Chateau-gai. Now there are more than a hundred, many of them producing award-winners, making Canada a world-leader in icewine and creating innovative by-products such as Southbrook Vineyards' BioFlavia (organic red grape skin antioxidant powder).

Thanks to the wineries, the culinary arts have flourished and grown here, too. Brock University and Niagara College have unique, leading edge programs in viniculture, viticulture and hospitality to ensure the wineries continue to thrive.

If not for the wineries, tourism, education and employment in this area would have died on the vine years ago. Let's end Prohibition again, for Niagara as well as Prince Edward County, Pelee Island and the other wine-producers of Ontario AND Canada.

I just realized that I didn't answer Mr. Powers' questions. No, I have never bought wine from out of province because I haven't needed to, with such a tremendous selection available from local wineries and imported vintages through the LCBO. I would appreciate the option, though.

For the financial health and recognition that Canadian wine-producers so well deserve - not to mention the access that all Canadians should be entitled to have to their products - I think these antiquated laws on interprovincial trade need to be abolished. The world is going global yet the government/LCBO stance remains protectionist, insular and provincial (in the generic sense of the word).

I love the thought of ten bucks staying in my pocket every time I bottle up kit wine at the local provider. Think of it, if I do a double batch of sixty bottles, that's six hundred bucks they will not get to squander on self interest groups. To answer the question, yes I have brought back a few cases of wine from other provinces, that is: Newfoundland and PEI. Best wine purchases of my life! Them Newfies know how to make wine, or pick berries, or party or sumthin, yes, b'ye?

Actually if you knew what kit wines were made from you probably would not drink them. Take it from someone who used to work in a wine kit processing plant during the summer while attending University.

Some of us are more advanced in tasting and can actually distinguish between wine and dreg made at home!

What most of you don't seem to realize is that most provincial liquor boards can allow for special orders from province to province. Take NB for example. Go to any liquor store in the province (liquor store, not agency stores) and go to one of the "grossly overpaid" employees (PS: Call centre employees make more than a casual employee in the Moncton area, and some even make more than a permanent full time employee) and say you would like to special order a product from another province. They will look it up on said liquor board's website, prepare some paperwork, you drop a $25 deposit and wait. True, it can take a little bit of time depending on whether or not the order can be filled, but "overpaid employees" will contact you once your product is delivered to the store of your choice.

Before spouting off info you "think" you know, try doing a bit of research. What you find may surprise you.

PS: The said taxes you pay on booze help pay for your next trip to the doctor's. Where else do you want that money to come from? Your already grossly high income taxes or you need to start paying per visit? Little food for thought.

Lily I
Yes you can order through your local liquor store who will place a special order through another Provinces liquor board however most of the cottage industry wineries are not listed nor does their products ever make it on the shelves of the other Provincial LDB.
The only way to resolve the problem of inter-provincial shipping is for other Provinces to follow the lead of B.C. and Manitoba and abolish the restricting rules.

As for taxes... I suggest all Provinces institute small user fees at medical clinics and hospital emergency rooms. Even a fee of 10.00 would more than offset the lose of revenue from inter-provincial wines sales to end users. It would also make people think twice about running off to the emergency room for a headache or upset stomach. Can't begin to fathom how many of our tax dollars are wasted on unwarranted use of medical clinics and emergency rooms.

came to this country in 1966 from Europe.
I remember, at age 10, being told to go to the grocery store and pick up a case of beer many times.
It was simply a normal thing to do. never mind being that young. there were NO restrictions to do that. However, drinking age was 16 when with a guardian and as long as the guardian allowed it. otherwise it was and still is 18, across the country. considering that Germany also has provinces and the only different from one province to another is.... YOUR address. One does not need another drivers license when you decide to live somewhere else. Wine and other booze can be sold by any grocery store at any time.
A beer can be enjoyed anywhere without having to hide it because it is illegal to drink in public...etc.. etc...
the irony here is that Canada is ONE country.... but is sure looks like a whole bunch of countries..
what really bugs me is this: one can join the armed forces and go to war and kill someone at age 18.
BUT that same person is not allowed to have a drink...
I could go on and one, medical.. same country.. BUT just do not get sick out of province needing a Doctor... You might have to fork over big dollars out of your pocket as your provincial plan does NOT cover you... and that in the same country????
I rest my case...
oh... one more thing... lets look at the politicians.......wow.. seems like different laws apply there...in more ways than one....

It is amazing to me how some people are so short-sighted. First, for the person who said that those BC wineries are family owned so they are no threat. How long do you think those families will own them when large conglomorates back a truck of money up to the door? Second, for those who complain about the taxes in wine. Would you rather pay a hefty sum of money for a necessary visit to the doctor and save a few bucks on wine, or have the resources built into a luxury product? if you get sick in the USA, you could lose your house. It wine goes up a buck or two, you lose, umm a buck or two. Big deal.
Let BC wines into Ontario and charge them a Carbon tax for transporting it across the country, to even the playing field a little.
I have no issue with the LCBO. HUGE selection, beautiful stores, although some in Oshawa need replacing, it funds our health care and the prices would only get higher in a private model. So to me, it is fine the way it is. If you think that selling booze at 7-11 would be cheaper, then answer this. What do you pay for milk and bread there? It is cheaper than a grocery store right? Ahem nope not even close. So why would booze be any different?