Manufacturer’s liquor licence (brewery, winery, distillery)

A manufacturer’s liquor licence is the provincial permission a craft producer holds to sell its own wine, beer or spirits. Buyers of wineries, breweries and distilleries meet it as an approval to be transferred or applied for again. See can I transfer my liquor licence for the wider question.

Ontario

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario describes a winery licence, a brewery licence and a distillery licence, each allowing the manufacturer to keep and sell its product according to the regulations. The AGCO also manages a separate off-site winery retail store licence. It says a licence can be transferred to someone else provided the regulatory requirements are met, subject to the AGCO’s approval, and that a change in ownership must be reported with the applicable transfer applications in iAGCO.

British Columbia

Under British Columbia’s Liquor Control and Licensing Act, the general manager may transfer a licence on application, subject to the grounds for refusal in sections 19 and 20, and a licensee must not purport to transfer or otherwise deal in it before then. This entry covers Ontario and British Columbia only; check the rules in the province where the producer is.

What to ask

• Which licences and endorsements the producer holds, and what each covers.
• Whether the buyer’s structure is a transfer or a new application, and how long each takes.
• Whether the federal licence is also in order: see excise licence.