BC Liquor and BC Cannabis stores raise funds for Ukraine

More than $530,000 will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross thanks to customers at BC Liquor and BC Cannabis stores across the province.

The money raised will help Red Cross relief efforts in war-torn Ukraine.

The Canadian Red Cross launched its Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal in late February, seeking donations that will be used to assist those in need by providing food, clothing and shelter, among other necessities.

“Seeing BC Liquor and BC Cannabis store employees’ support for this campaign and the customers’ compassion and generosity really shows how willing people in B.C. are to step up and support their local and international communities when it is needed most,” Selina Robinson, B.C.’s minister of finance, said in a press release on Tuesday.

The appeal is one of several emergency response campaigns launched over recent years by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch. As a result, the branch has helped the Canadian Red Cross raise nearly $2.5 million over the past two years.

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“Whether it be at home or abroad, our customers have shown unwavering support for those most impacted by devastating crises such as the war in Ukraine,” said Blain Lawson, general manager and CEO of the Liquor Distribution Branch. “Their donations will provide invaluable assistance to the Canadian Red Cross as it responds to this crisis.”

In addition to the funds already raised by the BC Liquor and BC Cannabis stores, the provincial government announced it would provide $1 million to the Canadian Red Cross to assist people in Ukraine as of Feb. 25.