A private member's bill aimed at saving the Canadian Club Brand Centre in Windsor has unanimously passed second reading at the Ontario legislature.
Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Percy Hatfield, who introduced the bill, is pushing for what he calls a minor change to liquor laws to allow brand owners to sell their products at brand centres within 500 metres of where the alcohol is made. "This technicality means despite Canadian Club's success, and Hiram Walker's contribution to the history of Windsor and Essex County, Canadian Club whiskey cannot be sold at the Canadian Club Brand Heritage Centre because it's bottled under contract."
Hatfield says this would not open the door to retailing liquor in other places. "This bill has no application anyplace else in Ontario, there is no other distillery in the same circumstance with a brand centre within 500 metres as specified in this bill. It is strictly a made in Windsor solution to a Windsor only issue."
The historic building closed to public tours at the end of March.
Brand owner Beam Suntory has indicated it will consider re-opening the brand centre if it can sell products.