As the price of beer in Alberta is set to rise in August – affecting brewers first, and then consumers – the premier of Saskatchewan has spoken out against the change, but Rachel Notley hit back Tuesday.
Starting on August 5, 2016, the Alberta Government will add an extra $1.25 for every litre of beer sold in Alberta.
It’s a change that’s prompted a response from Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, who said craft brewers in his province depend on the Alberta market.
“If they’re going to go ahead with this we’ll have to look at defending Saskatchewan’s interests, and perhaps that means retaliating, though that would be a last resort,” Wall said.
On Tuesday, Notley responded.
“[It] appears to be a summer tradition for Mr. Wall to do a little bit of a political drive-by of our government,” Notley said.
All Alberta breweries, regardless of their size, will pay the increase.
The province said grants to help smaller breweries are expected to be announced in the coming weeks – a move Notley said translates to a ‘home ice advantage’ for Alberta breweries.
“What we’re doing is we’re going to reach out and help some of our small brewers on an economic development basis and I will not be lectured about how we shouldn’t be standing up for Albertans in that regard,” Notley said.
Notley, Wall and Canada’s eleven other provincial and territorial premiers will meet at the Council of the Federation meetings between July 20 and 22 in Whitehorse.
With files from Jeremy Thompson
