E-Malt.com News article: Canada: Breweries looking forward to selling beer in Quebec

Halifax - Bluenose breweries will have an easier time doing business in Quebec, thanks to a tariff-removal agreement announced December 21, according to Daily News.

The governments of Nova Scotia and Quebec have lifted trade restrictions on beer products being shipped between the provinces, including a $4.50 surtax tacked on to every 24-pack of suds entering Quebec from here.

With one fewer trade obstacle, a Nova Scotia staple such as Keith's will be able to move into Quebec, and for the first time, become available in all 10 provinces.

"Reducing that cost now allows us to make Quebec a priority for this brand going forward," said Jean Lepine, a spokesman for Labatt's, adding that Keith's was involved in pushing the agreement forward for more than a year.

"We've been working with this government (and) all governments on eliminating barriers on the beer trade in Canada for a number of years," he said.

'Let us compete'

"What the government of Nova Scotia has done in negotiating an agreement with Quebec is to recognize that the way to do things today to help grow industries and companies is to unleash them and let us compete."

Microbreweries are also looking forward to trying the Quebec market.

Better deal

Although mircrobreweries from that province can compete here as well now, many feel Nova Scotia brewers get the better deal because of the size of Quebec's beer-drinking market.

"We have more to gain," said Robbie Poirier, sales and marketing director for Halifax's Propellor Brewery.

He said he was already looking into the possibilities of putting the brewery onto the listings of Quebec's liquor-regulating board.

"Certainly, the potential is there in that market; we just have to make sure that it's a financially viable option."

Propellor sells its beers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and British Columbia. Having Quebec become a possible new market is great, Poirier said, but even more can be done.

"I'd like to see more of these trade barriers come down," he said.

Lepine agreed, pointing to New Brunswick as an example of "severe" and outdated restrictions still in place.

"You can't ship beer into New Brunswick from any other province outside of Nova Scotia without paying a $60 per hectolitre surcharge," he said.



22 December, 2006