Raise a Glass for Change: Why BC Craft Breweries Need Your Voice

At Phillips, we’ve always believed that beer is about more than just what’s in the glass. It’s about people, community, creativity—and fairness. That’s why we’re speaking up today about something that impacts not just our brewery, but the entire craft beer community across British Columbia.

Right now, the BC Craft Brewers Guild is calling on the provincial government to reform the current markup tax structure, a system that unfairly penalizes BC’s small, independent breweries while giving foreign-owned beer producers a competitive edge.

How unfair? Let’s put it in numbers: foreign-owned breweries receive a $9 million tax break under the current structure. Meanwhile, local craft breweries are left to absorb rising costs, higher taxes, and the pressure of trying to compete on an uneven playing field.

Since 2020, craft brewers in BC have faced a 32% increase in overall operating costs, while navigating challenges like supply chain issues, inflation, and a tariff dispute with the United States. Yet despite our efforts to adapt, more than 20 BC breweries have been forced to close their doors this year alone.

This is more than a business issue, it’s a community one. With breweries in over 70 communities across BC, the craft beer industry supports over 6,000 jobs and helps power local economies. Breweries aren’t just places to drink great beer, they’re community hubs, venues for local events, employers, and contributors to neighbourhood life.

When a brewery shuts down, it doesn’t just mean one less IPA on the shelf. It means jobs lost. It means fewer gathering spaces. It means a part of our local identity disappears.

We need your help.

Join us and the BC Craft Brewers Guild in urging the Government of British Columbia to support local beer and level the playing field. Other provinces, like Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, have already taken steps to support their craft brewing sectors. It’s time for BC to do the same.

👉 Click here to learn more and take action

Your voice matters. Let’s make sure BC beer continues to thrive, for our communities, our local economies, and the future of craft brewing.