Why red tape makes it impractical for N.S. bar to bring in wine from Ontario vineyard

1 month_ago 18

Nova Scotia·New

A Halifax barroom co-owner wants to bring successful an Ontario wine, but says the legislated process that forces them to spell done the NSLC makes it impractical. The concern is an illustration of however interprovincial commercialized barriers play retired successful existent life.

Situation faced by Halifax's Bar Stillwell is simply a real-world illustration of interprovincial commercialized barriers

Richard Woodbury · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

The wrong  of a downtown Halifax barroom  is shown.

Bar Stillwell successful Halifax, shown successful this photo, would similar to bring successful vino from an Ontario vineyard, but says the request to spell done the NSLC comes with a batch of downside. (Josh Fee Photography)

Andrew Connell wants to bring successful an Ontario wine to the Halifax barroom helium co-owns, but helium says the legislated process makes it impractical.

To get vino from Rosewood Estates Winery successful the Niagara region, Connell can't interaction the vineyard directly. Instead, helium has to bash a peculiar bid done the NSLC.

"Why determination needs to beryllium a middleman successful that scenario, I'm not truly sure, particularly 1 that's going to summation the outgo of that merchandise and harm our margins," said the Bar Stillwell co-owner.

The wide manager of the Ontario vineyard that Connell wants to get vino from is arsenic bothered by the process. William Roman said they would person to discount their products substantially to merchantability it to the NSLC, who would successful crook people it up and past merchantability it to Stillwell.

"The full concatenation doesn't marque immoderate sense," Roman told CBC's Hanomansing Tonight. "The lone radical who are benefiting is the existent authorities board."

This Canadian concern proprietor wants interprovincial commercialized barriers lifted | Hanomansing Tonight

William Roman, wide manager of Rosewood Estates Winery & Meadery successful Ontario, is calling for interprovincial commercialized barriers to beryllium lifted successful the aftermath of U.S. tariffs.

The concern is an illustration of however interprovincial commercialized barriers play retired successful existent life.

"We should beryllium capable to bargain and merchantability products from Ontario successful precisely the aforesaid mode that we bash with products successful Nova Scotia," said Connell.

Why immoderate intoxicant purchases indispensable spell done the NSLC

The crushed Stillwell has to travel this process is due to the fact that of the Liquor Control Act, which governs the merchantability of intoxicant in Nova Scotia.

Any changes that would let producers from different provinces to vessel straight to Nova Scotia licensees specified arsenic Stillwell would necessitate legislative, regulatory and argumentation changes.

Last month, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston introduced a measure aimed astatine reducing interprovincial commercialized barriers. To go a reality, different provinces oregon territories would request to follow akin legislation.

Houston said earlier this period that Ontario is the province most supportive of Nova Scotia's idea.

Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia is shown astatine  a property   conference.

Premier Tim Houston has introduced authorities that aims to trim interprovincial commercialized barriers. (Robert Short/CBC)

In a statement, Nova Scotia Finance Department spokesperson Heather Fairbairn said importing and selling intoxicant successful Nova Scotia needs to beryllium managed safely and responsibly. She said the state is committed to making interprovincial commercialized easier.

"Implementation details would beryllium worked retired successful regulations erstwhile reciprocal commercialized agreements with different provinces are successful place," she wrote.

Stillwell is predominantly a brew barroom showcasing section beer, but it besides brings successful brew from other provinces and different countries.

Maritime Beer Accord

Under thing known arsenic the Maritime Beer Accord, Stillwell tin bargain brew straight from microbreweries successful New Brunswick and P.E.I.

However, to bring successful Canadian brew from non-Maritime provinces, Stillwell indispensable spell done the NSLC. By having a middleman, it inflates the costs consumers wage astatine the tap, Connell said.

"I deliberation customers tin spot that they're not getting the aforesaid worth from those beers and we certainly aren't making the aforesaid margin, adjacent the indispensable margin, that we need to operate," said Connell.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Woodbury is simply a writer with CBC Nova Scotia's integer team. He tin beryllium reached astatine richard.woodbury@cbc.ca.

    With files from the CBC's Hanomansing Tonight

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