Premier John Horgan says he plans to intensify efforts to find new markets for B.C. wine, which was already being done before Albertasa国际传媒檚 ban over the Trans Mountain pipeline.
Horgan said he promoted the industry during a recent trip to China, South Korea and Japan, and he plans to discuss increasing the provincesa国际传媒檚 market share south of the border on a trip to Washington state next month.
sa国际传媒淲e are defending industries right now,sa国际传媒� Horgan said Thursday. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e made it clear that we are going to be seeking new markets to replace any lost market we may have in Alberta.sa国际传媒�
The wine prohibition is the latest escalation of a dispute between the two provinces over the pipeline expansion project by Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd.
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B.C. announced plans last week to review limits on diluted bitumen shipments until itsa国际传媒檚 confident a spill can be cleaned up.
Alberta responded by halting talks on purchasing electricity from B.C. before it banned wine imports from its neighbour.
Alberta says it imported about 17 million bottles of B.C. wine last year, worth an estimated $70 million.
Horgan said the province is investigating whether the ban violates interprovincial trade agreements.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e reviewing our options and wesa国际传媒檒l take action when appropriate,sa国际传媒� he added,
Horgan maintains the proposal to limit diluted bitumen shipments is not meant to be provocative but is aimed at protecting B.C.sa国际传媒檚 environment and economy. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has called the proposal an unconstitutional attempt to stop the $7.4-billion pipeline expansion.
Ottawa has already approved the project, which would triple the capacity of the pipeline between Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., and increase tanker traffic off the west coast sevenfold.
Earlier Thursday, the federal government announced an overhaul of the environmental assessment process that was used to approve the Trans Mountain project. Under the new rules, projects would have to be assessed and either approved or denied within two years, and reviews would consider health, social and economic effects, as well as Indigenous rights.
Horgan said he hadnsa国际传媒檛 had a chance to read the entire proposal, but he commended the federal government for recognizing the need to keep pace with changing views and perspectives.
The changes also seem to suggest the former system was flawed, he said.
sa国际传媒淒oes this say that the processes that were in place yesterday were adequate? Clearly the federal government doesnsa国际传媒檛 think so and many British Columbians donsa国际传媒檛 think so,sa国际传媒� Horgan said.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
