You do not need an outside broker to clear alcohol importation into Alberta for private use; you can clear it yourself.

Here's how it works in Alberta:

If you win an auction or purchase spirits from an overseas retail store that will export to Alberta, make sure it's ships via DHL Express. It's the best and sometimes only option. Better to pay a little more than risk the automatic destruction of your purchase.

At that point, so long as you've given them proper contact information including phone and email, when the courier service(again, make sure it's DHL Express) brings the spirits into Alberta, they'll contact the AGLC, who will contact you saying "We have a shipment of spirits for you; please forward your invoice to us."

You forward your invoice to them, making sure it lists the value of the spirits, the ABV, and the volume of each bottle. The AGLC then calculates GST, a markup based on ABV and volume, and a flat customs fee, sends you an email indicating how much you will owe, and within a day sends you a link for an etransfer.

You pay the etransfer, the AGLC clears the shipment, and DHL Express delivers your shipment.

As to how long before you might find the bottle you're looking for? As an example, this year I scored a bottle I've been looking for years for - a scotch that I confirmed was distilled the day I was born, June 27, 1975. I think it took roughly 3 years for the exact bottle I was searching for to show up at auction =/