A new policy has been discreetly put into action by The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation.  The policy changes the definition of a local beer producer to ensure fairness amongst all beer producers, by making every brewery in Nova Scotia subject to paying the same amount of taxes regardless of its size. 

Many craft brewers in the province think that the policy was brought in to benefit a multinational company.  Kirk Cox is the executive director of the Craft Brewers Association of Nova Scotia (CBANS) and stated that the only thing the policy does is give Labatt Breweries, which is an international company not based in Nova Scotia, a new, $750,000 taxable benefit.  

Nova Scotia holds three categories of breweries based on how much beer is produced per annum: Commercial, craft and nano.  When a brewery produces more than 15,000 Hl, it classifies as a commercial brewery, which according to the NSLC’s new policy, gives them access to that same reduced markup on the first 15,000 hectolitres of beer it produces.

Labatt is the only “commercial” brewery in the province. 

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Photo credit: Coastal Elite/Nova Scotia