Premier John Horgan says he plans to intensify efforts to find new markets for B.C. wine, which was already being done before Alberta害羞草研究所檚 ban over the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Horgan said he promoted the industry during a recent trip to China, South Korea and Japan, and he plans to discuss increasing the province害羞草研究所檚 market share south of the border on a trip to Washington state next month.

害羞草研究所淲e are defending industries right now,害羞草研究所� Horgan said Thursday. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e made it clear that we are going to be seeking new markets to replace any lost market we may have in Alberta.害羞草研究所�

The wine prohibition is the latest escalation of a dispute between the two provinces over the pipeline expansion project by Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd.

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B.C. announced plans last week to review limits on diluted bitumen shipments until it害羞草研究所檚 confident a spill can be cleaned up.

Alberta responded by halting talks on purchasing electricity from B.C. before it banned wine imports from its neighbour.

Alberta says it imported about 17 million bottles of B.C. wine last year, worth an estimated $70 million.

Horgan said the province is investigating whether the ban violates interprovincial trade agreements.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e reviewing our options and we害羞草研究所檒l take action when appropriate,害羞草研究所� he added,

Horgan maintains the proposal to limit diluted bitumen shipments is not meant to be provocative but is aimed at protecting B.C.害羞草研究所檚 environment and economy. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley has called the proposal an unconstitutional attempt to stop the $7.4-billion pipeline expansion.

Ottawa has already approved the project, which would triple the capacity of the pipeline between Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., and increase tanker traffic off the west coast sevenfold.

Earlier Thursday, the federal government announced an overhaul of the environmental assessment process that was used to approve the Trans Mountain project. Under the new rules, projects would have to be assessed and either approved or denied within two years, and reviews would consider health, social and economic effects, as well as Indigenous rights.

Horgan said he hadn害羞草研究所檛 had a chance to read the entire proposal, but he commended the federal government for recognizing the need to keep pace with changing views and perspectives.

The changes also seem to suggest the former system was flawed, he said.

害羞草研究所淒oes this say that the processes that were in place yesterday were adequate? Clearly the federal government doesn害羞草研究所檛 think so and many British Columbians don害羞草研究所檛 think so,害羞草研究所� Horgan said.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press