A new agreement allowing direct-to-consumer alcohol sales across much of Canada is being welcomed by a local brewery, even if it is not expected to dramatically increase business.
Dan MacKinnon, brewmaster at MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company near Bath, said the deal is a positive step because it removes trade barriers that have long limited alcohol sales between provinces.
On Tuesday, Ontario joined eight other provinces in signing an agreement allowing consumers to order beer, wine and spirits directly from producers in participating provinces for personal use.
MacKinnon said the brewery sells about 90 per cent of its beer within 50 kilometres of its location, so the change is unlikely to have a major impact on overall sales.
However, he said the agreement will allow the brewery to finally ship beer to former Kingston-area residents and those with the MacKinnon name living elsewhere in Canada who often reach out.
MacKinnon added that shipping costs will likely limit how often customers place long-distance orders, since beer is expensive to transport.
