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- Alberta’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will shift from Alberta Health Services (AHS) to the newly established Acute Care Alberta starting April 1st. The government says the transition aims to improve patient care, enhance efficiency, and support paramedics with better equipment and vehicles. The Province has committed an additional $56 million in funding for EMS and plans to invest $60 million over three years to upgrade emergency response vehicles.
- Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is suspending storage fees for US-sourced liquor until June 7th to alleviate the impact of the US trade war. That pause will be retroactive to when the Province announced that there would be no more purchases of US product. While some importers appreciate the relief, they remain concerned about unsellable inventory and unrealistic returns to US suppliers. The industry continues to face challenges from tariffs, including the higher cost of aluminum for craft brewers.
- Speaking of alcohol, Alberta's new wine tax, set to take effect on April 1st, introduces additional costs on high-value wines priced at $15 per liter or more. The tax adds a percentage based on the price above $15, ranging from 5% to 15%, on top of the existing flat tax. Small wine producers are concerned that these changes will significantly raise prices and harm their businesses, as liquor stores may not be able to absorb the increased costs. In the beer industry, Big Rock Brewery, Alberta's largest craft brewery, says they are facing a 22% tax hike that was introduced in February. Under a new fee structure from AGLC, breweries producing more than 180,000 hectolitres annually will now be charged $1.25 per litre. Previously, breweries could produce more than twice that amount before reaching the $1.25 rate. The new fee structure disproportionately impacts larger producers like Big Rock, which faces an additional $1.4 million in annual taxes.