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AAFC launches Wine Sector Support Program to support Canadian wineries
July 5, 2022 By Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
On June 29, Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food, announced details of a new two-year, up to $166-million Wine Sector Support Program that will provide wineries with the tools they need to stay innovative and competitive, in order to capitalize on new opportunities.
“Our local products and wine routes contribute to the attractiveness and vitality of our regions,” Bibeau said. “This support for Canadian vineyards will enable them to innovate and be more productive and competitive.”
To help strengthen the future of the wine sector, the Government of Canada has worked in consultation with industry stakeholders to develop a program that will help Canadian wineries face emerging challenges in the short term.
All licensed wineries in Canada that produce or contract out the production of bulk wine from primary agricultural products – such as grapes, berries, other fruit, dandelions, rice and sap – will be eligible for support under the program. Support will be provided in the form of a grant based on the production of bulk wine fermented in Canada from domestic and/or imported primary agricultural products in the previous year. Individual payments will be dependent on the total litres of eligible wine submitted to the program and individual applicants’ total eligible wine production.
“This federal support is a critical step forward in helping restore certainty and confidence throughout the sector, and will enable wineries to reinvest in their businesses and employees,” said Dan Paszkowski, president and CEO of Wine Growers Canada. “A healthy and vibrant wine and grape sector will deliver billions of dollars in economic benefits to local and rural communities in the form of jobs, tax revenue, support for the hospitality sector and the entire wine and grape value chain.”
Applications for the first year of the program can be submitted between July 4 and August 12. For more information or to apply, visit the program website.
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