Some Alberta breweries are crying foul after changes to the Alberta Gaming Liquor Cannabis (AGLC) beer markup schedule were proposed in the recent Alberta budget.

“It all couldn’t have happened at a worse time,” said Blair Berdusco, executive director of the Alberta Small Brewers Association.

The ASBA says recent changes to AGLC’s beer markup schedule will make it difficult for small breweries in the province to compete with larger multinational ones after a proposed lowering of the annual worldwide production (AWP) limit for small brewers, which dictates the amount of tax charged to the brewery. The changes were prompted by a recommendation from the Auditor General calling for AGLC to improve controls over liquor revenue. Berdusco said the previous AWP was the envy of provinces across the country and played a large role in the growth and resilience of Alberta’s beer industry during the pandemic.

Continue the full story at Edmonton Journal, written by Zac Delaney.

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SOURCE: Edmonton Journal
PHOTO CREDIT: On File