Wine ruling won’t affect Kamloops Art Gallery
Recent confusion about non-profits using wine in fundraisers won’t affect the Kamloops Art Gallery, according to its executive director.
Jann Bailey said the gallery will do whatever it needs to do for its major annual wine-tasting fundraiser to ensure it does not break the law.
The issue arose last week when the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch forced the Belfry Theatre in Victoria to cancel its fine-wine auction and gala dinner after telling the theatre it cannot auction privately donated wines at the fundraiser.
The branch said legislation precludes groups from auctioning off wines not purchased at a provincial liquor store.
On Friday, Oct. 26, however, Rich Coleman, the provincial minister under whose authority the branch operates, said the government will take a “common-sense” approach while reviewing the legislation.
This means it will allow charities and non-profits to use liquor and wine in fundraising — as long as they are part of a gift basket or equivalent, but not the exclusive item, and have been commercially produced.
Charities that want to fundraise with baskets that contain only liquor or wine will have to wait until the legislation is changed to do so, Coleman said.
Bailey said this is not a problem for the gallery because, if it needs to repackage wine for the auction part of its wine-tasting event, it will do that with other donations received.
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