Some recently announced changes to B.C. liquor laws will not be implemented for up to three years. However, some of the reforms of the province's eighty-year-old regulations should be in place sometime this summer.

Finance Minister Joy McPhail says changes to liquor laws will be introduced in the legislature today. McPhail promises all government liquor stores will begin accepting credit cards within a few months. Other changes include Sunday openings for outlets in tourist areas and the ability of wineries to sell food.

Ian Tostensen is with the B.C. wine institute. He says the changes will likely mean millions of dollars in new revenue for wineries. He says, "from the wineries point of view, what it does is allow us to be more competitive with Oregon and California and Washington State. I think the economic impact will be positive, hard to say what it will be...but it just means that globally we'll be more competitive."

Tostensen hopes the regulations will be in place in time for this summer's tourist season.