LAC-BROME, QC, March 4, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, during a visit to Léon Courville Vigneron in Lac-Brome, Quebec, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for Brome—Missisquoi, highlighted an extension to the Wine Sector Support Program. With an investment of up to $177 million over the next three years, the program will continue to help the Canadian wine sector improve its competitiveness and adapt to the challenges it faces. This follows an announcement made by the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on March 1 at Trius Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
Quebec's reputation as a wine-growing region continues to flourish with award-winning labels. Farm cash receipts for grapes growing in Quebec in 2022 were valued at $11.6 million and according to the Quebec Wine Council, as of 2023, there were approximately 146 vineyards in the province producing approximately 2.5 million bottles of wine annually.
While the Canadian wine industry has seen considerable growth over the past several years, it continues to face a range of pressures impacting its financial resilience and competitiveness, including input price increases, labour shortages, climate limitations and severe weather events.
Originally launched in July 2022, the Wine Sector Support Program provides financial support to help licensed Canadian wineries adapt to ongoing and emerging challenges. This new funding will provide additional support to the wine sector, incenting investments that will help to capitalize on strengths and position it for long-term success. The additional funding brings the Government of Canada's total investment through the program to over $343 million.
The national, regional and local economic contribution of Canada's wine sector has a far reach – from grape growing, to retail sales, to tourism – while also helping the agricultural sector grow and diversify. The Government of Canada will continue to work with the wine industry to strengthen the sector and keep it competitive.
"Canada's wine sector creates jobs, drives economic growth, and supports so many communities right across the country. This extension of the Wine Sector Support Program will provide vitally important support to our wineries as they continue to innovate and adapt to challenges so the sector can stay strong and competitive for years to come."
- The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
"Quebec's wine industry is growing and wineries across the province continue to be at the forefront of current trends and evolving tastes. Today's announcement recognizes the ongoing importance of investing in this budding sector as wine growers navigate complex challenges to maintain a competitive edge and continue to support local economic growth."
- The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for Brome—Missisquoi
"The renewal of the federal government's Wine Sector Support Program provides timely support for Quebec wine growers. This assistance will enable the continued growth of local producers."
- Mélanie Gore, Executive Director of the Quebec Wine Council
- Since July 2022, 105 wineries in Quebec have received financial support through the Wine Sector Support Program.
- With this extension, the Wine Sector Support Program will continue to provide non-repayable grants based on wineries' production of bulk wine fermented in Canada from domestic and/or imported primary agricultural products.
- Eligible recipient payments are determined based on the eligible litres of wine produced. To be eligible, wine must be produced in Canada using fermented domestic and/or imported primary agricultural products in the previous fiscal year from the one in which a grant payment is approved.
- The application intake period for 2024-2025 will open on April 8, 2024 and close on May 24, 2024. Eligible wineries must submit an application within the intake window each year to be considered for funding for that fiscal year.
- The Wine Sector Support Program will end on March 31, 2027.
- In addition to this funding, Minister MacAulay also announced two initiatives under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, both led by the Canadian Grapevine Certification Network, to advance science and research and increase the competitiveness of the sector. This includes up to $5.9 million under the AgriScience Program – Clusters Component for the Grape and Wine Cluster, as well as up to $836,220 under the AgriAssurance Program.
- Under the new Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the wine sector is eligible to apply for support through the federally-delivered programs, as well as the provincially-delivered cost-shared programs. Grape and wine producers also have access to the Business Risk Management (BRM) suite of programs.
- Wine Sector Support Program
- Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership
- Business Risk Management Programs
- Agriculture Programs and Services
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Contacts: For Media: Francis Chechile, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, [email protected]; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, [email protected]
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