A national petition supporting legislation to remove interprovincial barriers to wine sales is now open for signatures.
The petition is in support of Bill C-262, introduced by Dan Albas, Member of Parliament for Okanagan Lake West–South Kelowna. The bill would amend the Canada Post Corporation Act to allow Canadians to receive Canadian wine, craft beer and spirits directly from produces across provincial boundaries.
The petition, e-7258, was initiated by Ron Kubek, owner of Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland. It is available online at petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-7258.
As of March 18, the petition had received 96 signatures, including 62 from B.C., 14 from Ontario and eight from Alberta.
“This issue has been years in the making,” said Kubek. “Dan Albas and I first worked on this effort back in 2020 and 2021 when we launched a national petition to remove interprovincial barriers to shipping Canadian wine. Unfortunately, that initiative died when a snap federal election was called.”
Kubek added that the new legislation reflects months of work with Albas and the Conservatives.
“Dan has consistently stood up for Canadian producers and consumers on this issue,” he said.
The bill would establish a trusted-carrier framework. This allows Canadians to receive Canadian wine, craft beer and spirits interprovincially, while maintaining age verification and secure delivery standards.
Albas has said the barrier to interprovincial alcohol trade has long hindered the Canadian beverage industry. He said under the existing regulations, it is easier to ship wine internationally than between provinces in Canada.
These restrictions also hamper beverage producers, he said.
“Here in the Okanagan, we are fortunate to produce some of the world’s best wines, along with award winning spirits and craft beers,” Albas said. “This sector has become an important part of our local economy, supporting agriculture, tourism, and many related industries that benefit from significant private investment in our region.”
British Columbia already allows for wines from other parts of Canada, but Ontario and Quebec are not part of these agreements, Albas said.
“Canadians should be able to buy Canadian,” Kubek said.
“Instead we have a patchwork of provincial barriers that prevent consumers from supporting wineries, breweries and distilleries in other provinces.”