The cuts are equal to $10 million in economic support for small and regional breweries, designed to increase their financial capacity to grow and expand.

The Province said it will also take action to improve cash flow for craft brewers, ensuring they will have more money to fund payroll, rent, and investments in new equipment.

Its new measures mean that craft breweries will no longer be required to remit all of the revenue from the sale of their products to the Liquor Distribution Branch before the mark-up is applied.

Coralee Oakes, Minister of Small Business, red tape reduction and responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch, explained: “Today’s announcement will support growth and create jobs for small businesses in B.C.’s booming craft beer industry.

“We are witnessing new craft breweries popping up around the province, and this speaks to the entrepreneurial spirit of the craft brewing industry as well as the success of our changes to date.”

Ken Beattie , executive director of the BC Craft Brewers Guild added: “Increased support from the provincial government will not only help grow the sector, it will provide much needed assistance to existing breweries that blazed the trail for craft beer in British Columbia.

“Our province is the craft beer leader in Canada and our established breweries have pioneered an industry that is now garnering world-wide recognition.

“Today’s announcement means all small brewers can look toward hiring more people, investing in more tanks, and growing their business in every region of the province.”