Temporary support is on its way for B.C. wineries devastated by a loss of grapes due to a January deep freeze, the province announced in Penticton on Thursday, July 25.
New measures will allow wines to be made with grapes and juice from outside the province for the 2024 vintage year, as the industry grapples with damage to vines and ongoing climate-related challenges that have "resulted in growing uncertainty."
Roly Russell, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development and MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, said the measures will save jobs and ensure B.C. wines remain available.
"It's certainly been a difficult season for so many, and B.C. wineries are struggling to recover from an unprecedented freeze event that could significantly impact the vibrancy of the wine industry in the year ahead," Russell said at Poplar Grove Winery in Penticton.
"Many wineries that rely on B.C. grapes will be unable to produce a vintage for this year unless they offset the costs associated with sourcing grapes from outside the province."
The province's measures won't take effect until April 1, 2025, and will end on March 31, 2026.
Impacted wineries will be eligible for "financial certainty," if they choose to opt into the measures and source non-B.C. grapes for their 2024 vintage, Russell said.
It is unknown at this time how many wineries will choose to do so, the MLA added.
Along with last winter's cold snap, province officials also pointed to the wildfires of 2023 that led to "unprecedented" challenges across B.C.
The province's announcement in Penticton was welcomed by local industry leaders on Thursday.
"This regulatory change expands the options for B.C.'s wineries, most of which are small, family-owned operations, to survive the impacts of these past few years and ensure living-wage jobs and the future economic vitality for our rural communities," said Paul Growers, board chair at Wine Growers British Columbia.
Russell described the province's new measures as "temporary relief," but noted there is more work to be done to support the industry.
"This is not a simple, silver-bullet situation in terms of how we help the industry and economy across the region," Russell said.
During its announcement Thursday, the province said the wine industry generates around $3.75 billion annually for B.C. and employs more than 14,000 full-time workers.
Its new measures, they added, will provide certainty for winemakers through 2025 and continue to deliver those economic numbers for B.C.
"Just over 100 days ago, we received the final report that confirmed last winter's freeze event decimated the potential of this fall's vintage and threatened the viability of not just the B.C. wine industry, but also regional tourism, hospitality and accommodation sectors that are so critical to our economy," said Miles Prodan, president and CEO, Wine Growers British Columbia.
"We'd like to thank the Premier, Minister Farnworth and our local MLAs for responding so quickly."
