Grants coming to assist small beer brewers in Alberta
Posted Jul 28, 2016 7:31 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Alberta’s small beer brewers will get up to $20 million a year in grants, helping to offset a looming hike in the markup on all beer sold in the province.
Finance Minister Joe Ceci says the goal is to level the industry playing field, help grow Alberta’s industry and create jobs.
“With this announcement, we are putting Alberta jobs first. And it’s all part of our government’s Alberta Jobs Plan, that is creating new opportunities and new jobs for Albertans across the province.”
Under the program, brewers who produce less than 30 million litres per year will get money on a sliding scale based on the amount of sales.
Ceci says the most any brewer can make under the plan is $12 million.
The change will come after the markup on beer is raised to $1.25 a litre on August 5 for all beer sold in Alberta, regardless of where it is made.
Saskatchewan has complained about the change, saying it violates the spirit of the New West Partnership free trade deal, and has threatened to impose retaliatory measures.
