Manitoba craft brewers get boost from province

Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries is pumping money intocraft beer in hopes of encouraging more producers to get in the brewing market.

The organization has set aside up to $5-million to help cover some of the overhead costs that sometimes serve as a barrier to getting into the brewing business.

"The industry is just starting to boom,"Culture and Tourism MinisterRonLemieuxsaid Monday."This is a piece that has been missing,"

Loans of up to $250,000 will be available tohelp pay for things likebrewing and distilling equipment. They will only be available to Manitoba-based companies.

"Equipment like this is very expensive," Lemieux said.

The loanswill also be accessible to small-scale producers who are already in the industry and want to expand operations.Applicants will have five years to pay down the loan.

"The craftbeerindustry is one of those industries that's really starting to take off," Lemieux added."It has a huge impact on agriculture. You've got hops being grown in Manitoba barley, the best barley in the world [is] grown here in Manitoba."

The application process opens in late spring/early summer 2016.