Shuswap winery toasts Alberta’s decision to lift B.C. wine ban
KAMLOOPS — A northern Shuswap winery is raising a glass to the Alberta government for lifting its ban on imported B.C. wine.
Premier Rachel Notley made the move after B.C.’s minority NDP government said it was filing a constitutional reference case on the issue.
“I think it’s great news for all of the industry because this industry is employing a lot of people,” says Jake Ootes, owner of Celista Winery. “And while we’re not personally affected to a great degree by any ban on importing wine into Alberta, I know that some of the operators in the Okanagan and perhaps some of the smaller ones would be severely affected by this and have been greatly affected by this.”
He adds the industry is contributing a tremendous amount of money through tourism and also through sales and taxation to the provincial economy.