British Columbians can now order wine from other provinces online with direct shipping and be exempt from provincial markups.

MLA Rich Coleman, the minister responsible for liquor, announced the change Thursday in the B.C. government's effort to modernize provincial liquor laws.

"Today, we encourage other jurisdictions to take immediate steps to reciprocate by opening up their borders and allowing all Canadians to order wine over the Internet," he said in a statement.

B.C. residents won't have to pay extra as long as the wine is 100 per cent Canadian and is shipped directly to buyers for personal consumption only.

The ingredients must be grown and produced entirely within the province the wine is being shipped from.

There is no limit to how much wine one can order.

Ron Taylor, a winemaker with River's Bend Winery in Surrey, said he welcomes the changes.

"I've been in this business for 40 years making wine and this is the first time there's some light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

"We've taken wine from almost primitive times in the 1970s to the point now where 200 wineries in B.C. are producing some really excellent product."

Taylor said he hopes other provincial liquor boards will follow B.C.'s lead and ease up on the old laws.

"I think it's time because it supports the local industry," he said.

"It's great that we'll be able to share that right across the country."

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