Wine Kitz Atlantic

In-Store Winery Services Now Officially Legal in New Brunswick

In mid-May it was announced that the New Brunswick government had amended liquor regulations and had officially legalized in-store winery services.

Despite the fact that for the past 6 years there have been 20+ businesses offering in-store winery services in New Brunswick, the legitimacy of the service has always been a grey area. This latest announcement has been anticipated since March 2009, when all NB winemaking store owners were invited by the government to discuss industry issues and how best to move forward.

A survey of store owners reveals that this new legislation is being received with open arms by most industry players. Upon review of the new legislation, it has become apparent that the NB government has adapted many of the same regulations set out by the Federal Excise Act. These happen to be the same regulations the NB industry have used as guidelines to self-regulate for the past 6 years. To sum it all up, it’s business as usual for operators and consumers alike.

Kudos to the NB government for taking the initiative to recognize the in-store winery service industry as a bona-fide industry with the ability to grow, employ and make tax contribution to the provincial coffers.

In Nova Scotia, despite a lack of change in provincial regulations, Wine Kitz in New Minas has now joined several other Nova Scotia winemaking businesses in offering in-store winery services. Only time will tell if this will lead to regulatory changes or charges.

Blair Sampson
Wine Kitz New Minas