AGLC pauses storage fees for Alberta vendors with U.S. liquor stuck in warehouse

Alberta liquor agencies whose purchased U.S. products are stuck successful a warehouse will not beryllium charged retention fees for up to 3 months, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis said successful a bulletin each agents Thursday.

Last week, arsenic portion of its effect to U.S. tariffs, the Alberta authorities banned imports of American intoxicant done AGLC, the Crown corp that regulates the province's intoxicant industry, until further notice.

Christopher Walker, proprietor of Liquid Assets Imports successful Calgary, which distributes intoxicant to restaurants and retailers, told CBC News connected Thursday that U.S. products already purchased by vendors are being held up successful a warehouse.

The retention comes astatine a cost, connected apical of the gross vendors can't gain portion U.S. liquor imports are nether a ban, Walker said.

"There are millions of dollars that person been seized by the government, of merchandise 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 intolerable to marque a pivot, successful bid to reinvest wealth into different products from different countries, if we can't summation entree to it."

Later Thursday, AGLC said it is pausing the retention charges for U.S. liquor products that person built up since March 6.

The intermission volition past until June 7, unless the province's regularisation connected U.S. purchases lifts earlier then.

"During this period, liquor agencies are encouraged to reappraisal their U.S. inventory successful storage. There are options to region 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 connected Canadian imports — 10 per cent connected vigor products and 25 per cent connected everything else.

WATCH | How Alberta is responding to U.S. tariffs: 

Trump paused the tariffs until April 2, but lone for Canadian goods that comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the escaped commercialized statement betwixt the 3 North American neighbours.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced the prohibition connected imports of American liquor past week arsenic portion of the provincial effect to Trump's tariff threats.

"We'll conscionable person to portion a spot much B.C. vino and Alberta trade brew and spirits — and that's conscionable good with us," Smith said successful announcing the measurement astatine a March 5 quality conference.

Liquor income successful Alberta are private. Companies bargain product from AGLC, and the merchandise is stored successful a warehouse until it is delivered to those vendors and distributors. AGLC oversees importation, and pays suppliers for their products aft the merchandise is sold to retailers and different licensees.

WATCH | Why American booze is inactive connected Alberta shelves: 

AGLC and Connect Logistics Services, a institution the Crown corp contracts to warehouse and administer intoxicant products, are moving to instrumentality the alteration arsenic soon arsenic possible, the bulletin said.

Any charges businesses accumulated since March 6 volition beryllium 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 liable for provincial Crown corporations.

In a statement, Brandon Aboultaif, property caput to Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally, said Trump's latest enforcement order, which paused the tariffs different month, is unclear astir which goods volition beryllium tariffed and "what legal forms and requirements volition beryllium needed to qualify."

Because of that, the state is moving up with its tariff response, Aboultaif said.

The authorities recognizes that liquor businesses are facing challenges, and is "continually assessing impacts and exploring solutions" to mitigate impacts connected businesses, helium said.

Aboultaif said affected liquor importers should enactment successful interaction with AGLC. In the meantime, the authorities volition present updates arsenic the concern develops, he added.

Walker, meanwhile, described the existent concern arsenic "a large opportunity" to bargain home products, oregon those made successful countries different than the U.S.

He besides said helium believes the authorities should not get to dictate what tin oregon cannot beryllium bought.