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Letter to the Editor: (Re:) Bill 132 – Selling fruit wines at farmers’ markets

This local beverage issue has been ongoing since before 2006. Bill 132 passed second reading unopposed on December 11, 2008 and was referred to the General Government Committee. At present there is no indication of a date for the General Government Committee Hearings.

This local beverage issue has been ongoing since before 2006. Bill 132 passed second reading unopposed on December 11, 2008 and was referred to the General Government Committee. At present there is no indication of a date for the General Government Committee Hearings.

Whether or not Bill 132 moves forward will depend on the mindset and the respect of the Ontario authorities charged with retaining the status quo or making changes to the Liquor Licence Act. Hopefully democratic due process will take place and Bill 132 will eventually come before the legislature for third reading and a vote by all MPPs. Whether or not changes are made to the Liquor Licence Act, it seems to be more of a psychological question than a common sense question. There is also a question of respect when different perspectives are discussed by the proponents of Bill 132 and its detractors.

Some of the questions that Ontario authorities need to feel comfortable about include,
Ensuring social responsibility and public safety
Concerns by the socially responsible organization MADD
Issue of International Trade — Local wine is more environmentally desirable, and Ontario research of non-Ontario jurisdictions on 1-3 above.

This research must then be made available to all. If any research has been performed to date on other jurisdictions in Canada, U.S.A. or the world, this information has not been made available to Fruit Wines of Ontario (FWO), the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) or Farmers’ Markets Ontario (FMO).

If this were only a rural issue, Bill 132 or its equivalent would have been problem solved with the necessary regulations put into place for selling fruit wines at farmers’ markets, years ago. Leaving a small fruit winery industry (about 15 to 20 wineries) hanging for years with some hope but no real action is totally unfair. For my personal part, I have worked on this issue for years with no compensation and am now retiring. It has been very discouraging, even though the selling of fruit wine at farmers’ markets in other jurisdictions makes common sense. How do you explain to new and young fruit winery owners or potential owners that Ontario authorities appear not to care about the future of small rural fruit winery businesses?

Can someone in authority please assure FWO, the OFA, FMO and other supporters of Bill 132 that Ontario authorities will research selling wine at farmers’ markets in Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario’s St Lawrence Market? Research could also be expanded to the U.S., including neighbouring New York state and Iowa.

It would seem that without an Ontario study of other jurisdictions, Ontario authorities and rightly so will not feel comfortable about addressing issues one to three above. As a supporter of Bill 132, our industry would also not feel comfortable unless we have input into the necessary regulations surrounding the sale of fruit wines at farmers’ markets in Ontario.

In closing, it seems important to stress:
If there is a will, there is a way.
Bill 132 is as green and local as it gets.
Only a pilot project is proposed, that can be pulled immediately if any problems with one to three above are found.
A type of special occasion permit as required in other jurisdictions along with other necessary regulations is a no brainer for both proponents and detractors.

Fruit wineries are totally supportive of the necessary regulations that must be in place regarding social responsibility and public safety.

Ontario farm families producing high class Ontario Quality Certified (QC) fruit wines have the potential, if supported by the Ontario authorities, to be world leaders in the production of fruit wines. We have the climate and the fruit.

A date needs to be set for due political process regarding the General Government Committee.

Sustainability through the marketplace of farm family fruit wineries needs to be supported by the Ontario authorities as fruit wineries receive no government grants.

A positive comfort level needs to be found by both the majority proponents and the minority detractors of Bill 132. This can probably only be achieved by Ontario authorities doing research into other jurisdictions.

On behalf of our industry and the many supporters of Bill 132, may I have a response from the Ontario authorities to the suggested action plans outlined above? Thanking you in advance for your reply.