Alberta’s minister responsible for liquor, gaming and cannabis says either he or the provincial regulator will review how large plastic jugs of vodka landed on liquor store shelves selling for less than $50.A four-litre plastic bottle of vodka on sale at a chain of Edmonton-area liquor stores attracted the attention of the minister responsible for gaming, liquor and cannabis.
Nally said if the bill passes, he'd be able to act upon his concerns quickly. If the legislation doesn't pass as proposed, Nally will ask Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis to look into the product and pricing, he said.In a statement late Monday afternoon, St. Albert-based T-Rex distillery said it is halting production of the four-litre format in response to public feedback, which was a mix of concern and praise for the product.
He said he was surprised by the minister's concerns because beer is sold in packs of 36 cans and wine is available in four-litre packages. It's up to the consumer to use the product responsibly, he said. T-Rex's statement said craft distillers have "suffered from a lack of responsible pricing" since the AGLC eliminated a rule in 2020 that required craft distilleries to produce 80 per cent of their spirits in-house. The statement said the change forced distilleries to lower their prices to stay in business, and called on the government to reverse the decision.Nally tabled Bill 16, the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, in the legislature on Monday.
Bill 16 also proposes a change that Didsbury veterinarian Dr. Gordon Krebs has been advocating — extending the statute of limitations for the Crown to file charges for a provincial offence, such as a traffic violation, to 12 months from six. Krebs said the time extension was a good first step to protect victims' rights, "And hopefully prevent another family from going through what we've gone through."Amendments to allow more virtual court sittings, as were used during the COVID-19 pandemic.Allowing citizens to enter pleas to provincial violations and receive court dates online or by email.