Hon. Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Finance
90 Elgin St, Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0G5
Dear Minister:
On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of businesses of all sizes across the country affected by the COVID-19 health and economic crisis, thank you for your continued engagement with and responsiveness as we continue to try to mitigate the devastating impacts of the pandemic on businesses and their employees.
We are writing on behalf of Canadian restaurants and the hospitality industry, agricultural and other supply chain members, alcohol producers and consumers to ask that Finance Canada repeal the alcohol escalator tax in the government’s upcoming update to Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan. The escalator tax is an automatic increase to excise duties that has gone up four times in the last three years and is scheduled to increase again on April 1, 2021 further driving up the price of beverage alcohol for consumers and businesses that are struggling.
Canada has some of the highest alcohol taxes in the world. On average, 47 per cent of the price of beer in Canada is from federal or provincial taxes. Approximately 65 per cent of the price of wine is due to taxes and on average 80 percent of the price of spirits is taxes. The escalator tax increases that tax burden every single year on April 1.
The pandemic has resulted in a collapse in bar and restaurant sales for all beverage alcohol. Another increase to the escalator tax will increase hospitality industry costs, affecting their ability to attract customers and retain employees while they try to survive and recover from government-imposed shutdowns. As new indoor dining restrictions are implemented in various parts of the country and patio season ends, tens of thousands of restaurants and bars are in danger of closing their doors permanently. An increase in excise duties will also hurt Canadian brewers, wineries and distillers who will lose access to much needed capital that they would otherwise invest in their operations, employees and products as they try to navigate the huge losses of sales to restaurants and bars.
When the escalator tax was first introduced, we expressed concern that a permanent automatic increase in duties every year was not warranted given Canada’s exceedingly
high alcohol tax rates. We also believe that the escalator shields tax increases from necessary parliamentary scrutiny and approval and that the rigid and automatic nature of the escalator does not allow the government to account for economic circumstances such as those we are experiencing right now.
Now is not the time to increase alcohol taxes on middle-class Canadians, our struggling restaurants and bars and domestic alcohol producers. Our request is that you repeal the escalator tax through the fall update to Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan or the next federal budget. At a minimum to support Canada’s economic recovery, the escalator tax increase should be frozen so it does not increase excise duty rates on April 1, 2021.
Thank you for your continued efforts to support Canadian businesses and their employees.
Sincerely,
Hon. Perrin Beatty, PC, OC
President & CEO
Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Tommy Donnelly
Owner/operator
1336209 Ontario In.
Eric Demoncheaux
President
3 Brasseurs Canada
Dave Auger
General Manager
817 Sports Bar & Grill
Manny Botelho
President
Adega Inc.
Ben Swirsky
President
Alchemy Restaurant & Bar Ltd.
Jeff Guignard
Executive Director
Alliance of Beverage Licensees of British Columbia
Michael Pizzitelli
Founder and President
Arbutus Distillery
John Sinopoli & Eric Joyal
Co-Owners
Ascari Hospitality Group
Blair McNeil
VP & General Manager
Bacardi Canada Inc.
Erin Armstrong
Executive Director
Barley Council of Canada
Ryan Keery
Sales Director
Beam Suntory
Luke Chapman
President
Beer Canada
Roshan Jainudeen
General Manager
Best Western Premier Toronto Airport Hotel
Kerrie Fraser
VP Strategic Juggling
Birds & Bees Organic Winery, Meadery, Distillery
Vlado Ristovski
Co-owner and Manager
Bistro Ristoro
Jim Treliving, Chairman
Jordan Holm, President
Boston Pizza International Inc
Ian Tostenson
President
British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association
Bobbi Woodson
Country Manager Canada
Brown Forman
Anna-Lisa Brewer
General Manager
BSG Canada
Amir Benedikt
Owner
By The Way
Rocco Mastrangelo
President
Cafe Diplomatico and Restaurant Limited
Tom Leger
General Manager
Calabogie Brewing Company Ltd.
Neale Graham
Managing Director
Canada & Canadian Brands, Beam Suntory
Emma Breen
Vice President
Canada’s National Brewers
Karen Walters
Owner
Carens Wine and Cheese Rosedale
Adrian Cassini
Owner
Cassini Cellars
Krista Tobias
Owner
Collision
Ross Alger
Founder
Confluence Distilling Ltd.
Miguel Kabantsov
Director
Copper Spirit Distillery Ltd.
Stuart Sands
General Manager
Country Malt Group
Jerod McCrory
Owner Operator
Culaccino Bar & Kitchen
Kristina & Jim Craig
Dark Sky Distillery
Kevin Titcomb
Distiller
deVine Vineyards Inc.
Jonathan Roy
Président
Distillerie Fils du Roy(QC) Inc.
Jean-Pierre Foucault
Domaine Mont Vézeau
Oliver Geddes
Owner
Easy & The Fifth Inc
Justin McKellar
General Manager
Equals Brewing Company
Sean Bayley, Ginalyn Gamboa
FAB Restaurant Concepts
Mike Smith
President
Fellini Koolinis
Kent Epp
General Manager
Firkin on Yonge
Dave Longbottom
Owner and President
Flora Hall Brewing
Scott Shupeniuk
General Manager
Fort Garry Brewing Company
Simi Kapur
Owner
Future Bistro
Brian Titus
President
Garrison Brewing Co.
Steve Kampstra
President
Gordon Food Service Canada
Debra Conlon
Government Relations
Grain Farmers of Ontario
Arjun Gopi
Director of Food & Beverage
Granite Club
Terry Mundell
President & CEO
Greater Toronto Hotel Association
Kristopher Sustrik
Owner/President
Hansen Distillery Ltd.
Martin McSkimming
President
Hemingways Restaurant
Luis Rivero
General Manager
Holiday Inn & Suites Windsor – Ambassador Bridge
Brendon Ainscow
General Manager
Holiday Inn Express Toronto Downtown
Zul Karmali
General Manager
Hotel Metro
Jason Sharpe
General Manager & Partner
Huff Estates Winery & Inn
Ted Latimer
Executive Director
Import Vintners and Spirits Association
Ted Latimer
Executive Director
IVSA Import Vintners & Spirits Association
Jamie Myers
President & Owner
Jake’s Grill & Oyster House
Mike Smith
President
Joe Kools
Jason Alikakos
Owner
Jonathans & J Bistro
Davina Ragoonanan
Owner
Kalypso Hut
Paul Meek
Co-Founder
Kichesippi
Nelio Caldeira & Paula Hensley
Owners/Operators
La Dolce Vita
Kyle Norrington
President
Labatt Breweries of Canada
Taras Manzie
President & CEO
Lake of the Woods Brewing Company
Dawn & Doug Lennie
Proprietor
Legend Distilling
Wayne Brown
Owner
Liaison College of Culinary Arts
Mr. Sukhi S. Shetra
Owner
Loch Side – Bar & Lounge
Judie Starchuk
Owner
Lowville Bistro
Geena Luckett
Owner
Luckett Vineyards
Daniel MacKinnon
Brewer & Co-Owner
MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co.
Rossana Di Zio Magnotta
CEO
Magnotta Brewery
Corey Stacinski
General Manager
Manitoulin Hotel & Conference Centre
Eadie Mastronardi
Proprietor
Mastronardi Estate Winery
Sarah Chown
Managing Partner
Metropolitain Brasserie
Brian Watson
President/Director
Molly Bloom’s Irish Pubs
Andrew Oland
President & CEO
Moosehead Breweries Ltd.
Todd Lewin
President
Muskoka Brewery
Kate Walker
CEO
Nelson Brewing Company
Maureen Thornton
Franchise Owner
New York Fries
Craig de Blois
President
Noble Estates Wine and Spirits
Pat Bell
Partner
Northern Lights Estate Winery
Michael Singer
Area Manager Novotel Hotels
Novotel Hotels
Andrew Oliver
President
Oliver & Bonancini Group
Tony Elenis
President & CEO
Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association
Scott Dargie
Owner/Operator
Paddy Flaherty’s Irish Pub
Jeff Squires
President
PEI Brewing Company
Stephen & Natalie Dykie
Owner/Operator
Piermari Hotels Limited / Village Inn Hotel
Benoit Legault
Directeur général
Producteurs de grains du Québec
John Allen
President
Propeller Brewing Company
Scott Bonikowsky
Owner & Chief Commercial Officer
Pump Hospitality Group Family of Restaurants
Mike Marcolin
Owner / Operator
QB Sports Bar Grill Games
Greg Graham
Operations Manager
Quench Hospitality
Shaun Swayze, General Manager
& Nathan Cameron, Beverage Director
Recipe Unlimited
Adam Grinstead
Owner
Reset Social Cafe
Todd Barclay
President
Restaurants Canada
Rebekah Crowley
President
Roots and Wings Distillery
Mike Smith
President
Runt Club
Stuart Sakai
Owner/operator
Sakai Bar
Mike Cappiello
Vice President
Scaddabush Italian Kitchen and Bar
Paul Bognar
President & CEO
SIR Corp (Service Inspired Restaurants)
John Sleeman
Founder & Chairman
Sleeman Breweries Ltd.
Kevin Wood
President
Something Brewing
Jan Westcott
President & CEO
Spirits Canada
Kathy Gutscher
Office Manager
Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm
Dane Adahan
Operations Manager
Stone Gate Inn
David Martin
President/ Owner /GM
Stratford Fellini’s Inc.
Mike Bobbitt
Executive Director of Operations
Sunray Group
Randy White
President
Sysco Canada
Claude Bilodeau
General Manager
The Black Velvet Distilling Company
Wayne Cowley
Owner
The Bottomline
Richard Pereira
Owner
The Duke on Sydenham
Robin Ridesic
Founder and CEO
The Exchange Brewery
Ash Farrelly
Owner
The George Street Diner
Justin Lahey & Brittany Hutchison
Owner Operators
The Green Door Cafe
Ed Catley
Owner Operator
The Queens Head Burlington
Christopher Freeman
Owner
The Social Pub
Brandon Stanicak
Owner
The West Town Bar and Grill
Kelti Baird
Co-Owner
Theoretically Brewing Company Ltd.
Kevin Schmidt
General Manager
Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel
Meghan Stewart
Owner
True North Distilleries Ltd.
David Nicholls
Partner & General Manager
Vancouver Island Brewing
Allan Merlo
Co-Founder
Village Brewery
Kyle Rawn
Principal
VocalEyes Accessibility Consulting
George Croft
President & CEO
Waterloo Brewing Ltd.
Jim MacDonald
Brewmaster
Western Newfoundland Brewing Co.
Richard Reid
General Manager
Whiteoaks Resort
Christopher Thompson
President & Co-Owner
Whitewater Brewing Company
Sean Lucey
Owner
Windmill Brewery
Haley Brown
Executive Director
Wine Growers Nova Scotia
Robin Singh
Woods Restaurant
John Borsten
President
Zak’s Diner
Franz Roessl
Owner
180 Pub
Nelson Abreu
30.50 Imports Inc.
Blake Anderson
Chief Operating Office
Ace Hill Beer Company Inc
Dave Bishop
Chair
Alberta Barley
Kent Kirkland
General Manager
Alley Kat Brewing Company
Jessica Schacht, Stephen Schacht, Jeremy Schacht, Ramona Froehle-Schacht, Co-owners
Ampersand Distilling Company
Del Rollo
Vice President, Government & Industry Relations
Arterra Wines Canada
Kal Merkley
President
Babylon Lounge, Thunder Bay, ON
Brent VanderVeen
Co-Owner
BarChef
Ken Beattie
Executive Director
BC Craft Brewers Guild
Brett Ireland
CEO
Bearhill Brewing Co.
Harry Brar
President
Best Western Owen Sound
Peter Mammas
President & CEO
Big Rig Kitchen & Brewery
Giovanni Venditti
Brewing Science Coordinator
Bishop’s Arches Brewery,
Bishops University
Ken Woods
President
Black Oak Brewing
Eloi Deit
Head Brewer
Brasserie Dunham
Miles Prodan
President and CEO
British Columbia Wine Institute
Sean Fleming
President & CEO
Brunswick Bierworks
Margaret Hobbs
Partner
Buyers+Cellars Wine Purveyors
Joseph Moore
Director Food and Beverage
Caesars Windsor
Cristina Ionescu
Owner
Cafe Oro di Napoli
Melanie Batchelor
Managing Director
Campari Canada
Armand Parisien
President
Canada Malting Co. LTD
Yannick Bigourdan
Owner
Carbon Bar, Union Chicken, Ray’s BBQ
Mario Bourgeois
Owner
Cassel Brewery Company
Gary Lohin
Brewmaster
Central City Brewers and Distillers Ltd
Manny Tsouvallas
Owner
Colossus Fine Greek Foods
Bob Crecouzos
CEO
Cool Beer Brewing Co.
Nicolas Krantz
President & CEO
Corby Spirits and Wine Limited
Tyler Dyck, President
Craft Distiller’s Guild of BC & CEO
& Head of Operations,
Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery
Jacob Mancini
AVP, Restaurants and Breweries
CWB Franchise Finance
Felix Irnich
COO
DaVinci & T-Rex Distillery
Jodi Rumble
General Manager
Diageo Canada
Trevor Doege & Marie Eriksson
Owners
Doege Company Ltd.
George Assaf
Owner
East Side Mario’s Orleans
Barry Chaim
CEO
EDO Group of Restaurants
Ron Morrish
Director of National Accounts
Eska Inc
Shawn Dawson
Owner
Fatboys Southern Smokehouse – Ottawa
Mauro Rosati
General Manager – Partner
Fionn MacCool’s Woodbridge
Vito Rizzuto
Owner
Five Doors North
Peter Chiodo
Founder
Flying Monkeys Brewery
Mike Makhlouf
President
Freddy’s
Kevin Parker
General Manager
Gahan House Hub City
Ted Kindos
President
Gatorteds tap n grill
Angela Murphy
Owner/Director
Grace Restaurant London
Mark Boogemans
President
Grand Bend’s Bluewater Motel
Michael Brennan
President & CEO
Great Western Brewing Company Ltd.
Krista Tobias
Owner
Hanks Liquor
Angelo Nitsopoulos
Owner
Hart of Niagara Hotels
Barry Wilde
President & CEO
Highwood Distillers
Doug Loucks
General Manager
Holiday Inn Express Sarnia – Point Edward
Vanessa Stevenson
General Manager
Homewood Suites by Hilton Cambridge/Waterloo
John Watts
President
HOTHOUSE
James Vosburgh
President
Imago Restaurants Inc.
Jason Fisher
CEO
Indie Alehouse
Dan Etcher
Vice President of Operations
Jack Astor’s
Jack Valianes
President
Jake’s on Main Pub &Grille
Brian Dillon
Vice President Operations
JOEY Restaurant Group
Shirley Spralja
Owner / Operator
Joso’s Restaurant
John Rufa
Owner
Kawartha Country Wines
Marla Funkenhauser-Wiper
Dining Room Supervisor
Kingsville Golf and Country Club
Sarah Noonan
Owner
La Place Rendez-Vous
Sumit Kapur
Owner
Labryinth Lounge
Sandra Kane
Owner
Le Papillon on Front/Savoury Investments Inc.
Michael Ash
Vice President
Leo’s Hospitality Group
Stefani Choy
Director of Finance
Liberty Hospitality Corporation
Mark Findlay
CEO
Lone Star Texas Grilll
Dan Clarke
Owner
Loyaloarsman Pub
Eleonora Caldato
President
M&B Hospitality Inc. –
Mangia & Bevi resto-bar
Chris Hasslett
Director of Food and Beverage
Madison Avenue Pub
Sarah Dewar
Owner
Maiden Lane Wine & Spirits
Cindi Vanden Heuvel
VP & General Manager
Mariposa Cruises by Hornblower
Philippe Jaar
Président
McAuslan Brewing Inc
Lidia Caschera
Owner
Mi Taco Taqueria Inc.
Frederic Landtmeters
CEO
Molson Coors Canada
Nikolaos Giannakouras
Owner
Moroni‘s Restaurant
Court Desautels
President & CEO
Neighbourhood Group of Companies
Pat Bell
Chair
New Wave Wine Society
Steve Gill
General Manager
Niagara College Teaching Brewery
Sean Dunbar
Owner
Northampton Brewing Co.
Alan Howie
President
Northland Restaurant Group
Jan Iftikhar
General Manager
Novotel Toronto Vaughan Centre
Keith Currie
President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Brad Fennell
Director
Overflow Brewing Co.
Adam Slight
Operations Manager
Pauper’s Pub
Matt Phillips
Founder
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
Mathan Rajaratnam
Owner
Pizzeria Oro di Napoli
Scott Bellhouse
Owner & Founder
Profile Hospitality Group
Peter Hottman
General Manager
Proximo Canada
Shaun Fraser
President
Pump House Brewery
Charn Lalli
General Manager
Quality Inn – Sarnia
Trent Leggett
President
RASAS Group
Daelyn Hamill
President
Red Shed Malting
Rob Gregorini, CEO/Founder/Head Chef of Respect is Burning Kitchen and Bar, Red Fang tavern, Durham Hall, The Sirloin Cellar, Durham Social
Alan Hudson
President
Richibucto River Wine Estate
Carlam Holland
Director
Royce Distilleries Inc
Trent Leggett
Director
Rural Agency Store Advisory Society of BC
Elizabeth Wise
SVP – Government Affairs
Sazerac
Jacob Wiebe
Shelter Point Distillery
Faye Warrington
Owner
Skunkworks Distillery
John Ciampini
Owner
Smokeshow BBQ & Brew
Kimberley & Bartholomew Nadherny
Owners
Son of a Peach Pizzeria
Brent Poulton
President & CEO
St. Louis Bar & Grill
Matt Scrimes
General Manager
State & Main Etobicoke
Michael McBride
President
Storm Brewing Company
Newman D. Smith
Chairman
Strewn Estate Winery
Herman Chan
Owner
Swiss Chalet Courtice
Ted Moroz
President
The Beer Store
Marcos Yu
General Manager
The Bond Hotel
Doris Weiler
Owner
The Copper Mug Restaurant and Pub
Amber Thom
Owner/Operator
The Everly Restaurant Kingston, ON
Larry Isaacs
President
The Firkin Group of Pubs
David Mangano
Owner
The Grand Pizzeria & Bar
Perry Meeker
Owner
The Hatter Gastrobpub
Bruce Roberts
Owner
The Rebel House Toronto
Kimberley & Bartholomew Nadherny
Owners
The Sunshine Doughnut Co.
Mike St Denis
Co-Owner
The Windsor Tavern
Mike Smith
President
Toboggan Brewery
Bailey Hoefels
Director
Trench Brewing & Distilling Inc
Mark Freeland BA
Managing Partner
Two Rivers Distillery
Alise Matos
Sommelier/Manager
Veloute
Mark Hicken
Partner
Vintage Law Group
Chris Mlinaric
Chief Financial Officer
Vrancor Group Inc.
Bruce Van Leeuwen
WD Distillery
Jeremey J. MacRae
Chief Operating Officer
Weston Golf and Country Club
Kent Donaldson
President & Co-Owner
Whitetooth Brewing Co. Ltd.
Matt Widmer & Keith Robinson
Co-founder
Wild life Distillery Inc
Dan Paszkowski
President & CEO
Wine Growers Canada
Aaron Dobbin
President and CEO
Wine Growers Ontario
Bob Baxter
Co-Owner & President
Yukon Brewing
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