Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce
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Before an emergency measure such as a travel ban is ordered, we are asking that the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness create an enhanced set of criteria and advanced analytical tools before
implementing an emergency measure as serious and significant as a travel ban, including but not limited to:
• Determining how many evacuees require shelter / hotel rooms by analyzing information provided by
evacuees on the Evacuee Registration and Assistance (ERA) site, and at physical evacuation centres;
• Identifying where evacuees work, such as neighbouring communities, in order to tailor any travel ban
to those areas most likely to be used by evacuees;
• Contacting the local governments and tourism associations in communities that may be required to
house evacuees in order to determine their current capacity/occupancy;
• Utilizing large public facilities for initial evacuee shelter space before moving into privately owned
accommodations such as hotels and motels so that demand can be more accurately measured;
• Providing market-value compensation to privately-owned accommodators for any and all room nights
affected by emergency measures that are not subsequently occupied by evacuees or emergency
personnel. This would ensure that private operators do not suffer financial hardship and adds a level of
accountability for the government.
Last August's economically devastating travel ban throughout the South Okanagan did not see any significant number of evacuees utilize accommodations that were forced into vacancy because of the travel ban, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenues, including the cancellation of the world-renowned Ironman Triathlon.
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Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation
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Economic Development and Trade, Emergency Preparedness, Employment and Training, Small Business, Sports and Recreation, Tourism, Transportation
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Send a letter to Ministers' Farnworth, Popham, Bailey, and Alexis, as well as local MLA Dan Ashton and local MP Richard Cannings to recommend changes to legislation relating to the British Columbia wine industry, including:
1. Given the 58% reduction in grape production last year, and now a forecasted 97-99% reduction in
2024’s vintage, suspend the minimum fermenting requirements and temporarily allow B.C. land-based
wineries the ability to purchase and utilize non-B.C. grapes in order to keep B.C. wines in production
and on our shelves.
2. Permanently allow a single license for land-based wineries to conduct tastings anywhere on their
property, as is already done successfully in Ontario. The current B.C. requirement of hiring consultants
and meticulously planning changes to tasting areas is unnecessarily excessive and stifles growth.
3. Consolidate the various licenses (tasting, picnic, lounge, special endorsement) into one license, with a
streamlined approval process of 30 days or less. The current system, which can take up to 12 months
for approval of additions to your existing manufacturing license and involves hiring consultants and
engineers, is burdensome and impedes business development.
4. Commit to recognizing B.C. wine tourism as a strategic marketing priority equivalent to that of British
Columbian ski hills in order to drive visitation through wine tourism programming.
5. Advocate to the Government of Alberta the proposal of B.C. wineries of collecting and remitting to the
Albertan government the $2.75 per bottle tax for direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales in order to restore a
B.C. winery’s ability to also sell through liquor retail shelves and restaurants.
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Development or enactment of any regulation, including the enactment of a regulation for the purposes of amending or repealing a regulation
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Agriculture, Economic Development and Trade, Liquor Control/Alcohol, Tourism
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