**TIMMINS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWS RELEASE**

Today, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce and Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released a new report, Refreshing the Sale of Beverage Alcohol in Ontario. This report outlines how the Province could modernize the sale and distribution of beverage alcohol and responsibly promote growth across all four categories – wine, beer, spirits, and cider. Included in the key recommendations is a made-in-Timmins policy resolution that focuses on removing the antiquated inter-provincial trade barriers that was adopted by the OCC in 2018.

The report finds that, despite public support for modernization, reform is a more complex undertaking than it appears at first glance, due to the complexity of legislation and regulation involved. As the government proceeds with reforms to beverage alcohol sales, the Timmins Chamber and OCC underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to avoid perpetuating inequities in the taxation and regulation of wine, beer, cider, and spirits that limit growth.
“The power of the beverage alcohol sector to be a force for economic growth extends beyond just the expected industries. The production, distribution, and sale of alcohol has a ripple effect that benefits agriculture, tourism and hospitality, and retail in Northern Ontario,” stated Nancy Mageau, President of the Timmins Chamber. “Removing red tape and modernizing alcohol sales will ensure that our local brewers like Compass Brewing and Full Beard Brewing Co. have the tools they need to grow, thrive, and remain competitive and the Chamber is pleased to be able to advocate on their behalf.”
These comments were echoed by Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber, “Ontarians want to see a more modern, convenient beverage alcohol retail system and we are closer than ever to substantive reforms to how alcohol is distributed, bought, and sold in Ontario,” says Rossi.

“By removing barriers and levelling the playing field,” Rossi added, “The Province can unleash the potential of the beverage alcohol sector, support regional economic development, meet the needs of today’s consumer, and generate greater tax revenue to fund the public services on which Ontarians rely.”

Refreshing the Sale of Beverage Alcohol in Ontario provides the Government of Ontario with a number of timely recommendations including:
• Modernizing the sale of beverage alcohol by allowing beverage alcohol producers to sell their products on e-commerce marketplaces and platforms using third parties to process payments.

• Alleviating tax burdens by reducing taxes on Ontario wines, aligning taxation levels for craft cider with those of craft beer, and applying a graduated tax to the current spirits basic tax.

• Cutting red tape by reducing the reporting Ontario wineries and cideries have to complete from a monthly to quarterly basis, allowing Ontario spirits and craft beer producers with a retail store to sell their products at farmers’ markets, and providing airports with an exemption to allow for the sale of alcohol 24-hours-a-day.

• Removing antiquated inter-provincial trade barriers by allowing consumers to purchase alcohol online from other provinces/territories and producers to deliver these products to the consumer’s home.

“Having long advocated for the removal of inter-provincial trade barriers, the Timmins Chamber is pleased to see our policy resolution adopted in this important report. It is for reasons such as these that the Chamber is pleased to continue its lobby efforts on behalf of our members,” said Mageau.

Read the OCC’s report, Refreshing the Sale of Beverage Alcohol in Ontario here.

 

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