Alberta wine tax drives up prices for consumers and businesses, undermines interprovincial trade
Calgary, Jan. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A coalition of industry associations representing Canadian wineries, restaurants, import agents, and Alberta retail and hospitality businesses are calling on the Government of Alberta to repeal its unfair and damaging ad valorem tax on wine.
Implemented in 2025 without industry consultation, Alberta’s wine tax is driving up prices for Alberta consumers and small businesses, hurting Canadian wineries, and directly contradicting federal and provincial efforts to reduce interprovincial trade barriers.
Administered as an ad valorem markup structure through the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), Alberta’s wine tax adds an escalating percentage-based markup on wine sold in Alberta on top of the flat tax markup. Restaurants, retailers, agents, and wine producers all strongly oppose the introduction of Ad Valorem markup pricing to Alberta’s competitive flat tax markup system.
The fees for the additional Alberta wine tax are 5% for wine valued between $15-20 per litre; 10% for any valued between $20-25 per litre; and 15% for $25 per litre and above. All wines over $11.25/750ml bottle are impacted by the additional tax.
| Wine | Bottle Price Before Alberta’s Wine Tax | Current Price with Alberta’s Wine Tax |
| Philippe Guerin Sauvignon Blanc* | $23.00 | $24.00 |
| Dirty Laundry Winery Merlot** | $29.99 | $35.49 |
| Wagner Stempel Riesling* | $32.00 | $36.00 |
| Dirty Laundry Winery Bordello** | $44.99 | $54.49 |
| Tedeschi Amarone* | $59.00 | $75.00 |
| Chateauneuf de Pape Rouge* | $85.00 | $99.00 |
*Wine pricing examples sourced from Metrovino Fine Wines
**Sold by producer direct to consumer only
The new tax comes at a bad time when businesses are already having to absorb significant operating cost increases and as Albertans struggle with affordability. The policy also hurts Canadian wine producers' ability to sell a wide variety of wines to Alberta consumers and contradicts the Alberta government’s stated affordability policy priorities.
The Coalition is calling on the Government of Alberta to repeal the wine tax and engage constructively with industry to find a solution that supports Alberta consumers and businesses, respects interprovincial agreements, and upholds the spirit of free trade within Canada.
A detailed backgrounder, including stakeholder statements and further context on the tax’s impacts, is available at the link below.
The Coalition comprises representatives from Wine Growers Canada, Wine Growers British Columbia, Alberta Hospitality Association, Alberta Liquor Store Association, Import Vintners & Spirits Association and Restaurants Canada.
Milena Stanoeva Restaurants Canada 6479211758 media@restaurantscanada.org Kelly Josephson Wine Growers British Columbia 2508692476 KJosephson@WineBC.com Caroline Henderson Wine Growers Canada 6138547732 Caroline@WGCanada.ca Ivonne Martinez Alberta Liquor Store Association 7809777214 IvonneM@ALSAWeb.ca Mona Pinder Alberta Hospitality Association 4036192402 ED@AlbertaHospitalityAssociation.ca Stacy Kyle Import Vintners & Spirits Association Stacy@IVSA.ca Al Drinkle Metrovino Fine Wines 4032053356 Al@Metrovino.com
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