Online sales of BC wines spiked by other provinces


When you're really good, people start to take notice. This principle must explain why other Canadian provinces are limiting online sales of BC wines to them using an old prohibition-era federal law. The 1928 Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act is being cited by Manitoba and Ontario to restrict sales of BC wines ordered online from winery websites.
The internet was about as conceivable as Dick Tracy's TV watches back in the pre-depression decade, so it makes sense that laws like these existed then. Today, however, it's time to remove these barriers to inter-provincial trade. The fact is that BC produces the best wine in Canada, and if someone in the country wants to be able to buy it, they should be able to do so.

Author

  • Mike Klassen is a Vancouver city councillor, communications professional, and long-time advocate for British Columbia’s wine industry. He co‑founded BC Wine Lover in 2007 with his wife Stacey, sharing stories from their travels through the province’s wine regions and spotlighting the people and places that make B.C. wine distinctive.

    In 2015, Mike led the BC Wine Appellation Task Group, guiding a province‑wide consultation that produced recommendations—later endorsed by industry plebiscite—that strengthened B.C.’s appellation standards and helped establish today’s sub‑GIs.

    His writing has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, Huffington Post, and Daily Hive, blending history, policy insight, and personal experience. Alongside his work on Vancouver City Council, Mike continues to explore vineyards across the province, champion local producers, and celebrate the evolving culture of B.C. wine.