Support for B.C. wineries following last year’s freeze extended another year

Wineries in B.C. are still recovering from the freeze in 2024 so the government is allowing them to use grapes from out of province for another year.

The polar vortex in January 2024 severely damaged vines and while vineyards are replanting it takes time to rebuild. Letting wineries use out-of-province grapes to make B.C. wine helps the supply keep up with demand, avoid layoffs and make sure the industry stays strong, according to a press release from Wine Growers BC issued today, Sept. 23.

“Last year’s freeze was the most devastating event to hit B.C. vineyards in decades. While 2025 gave us a strong harvest, it’s simply not enough to meet the scale of pre-freeze demand,” Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said in the release. “We’re stepping up for one more year to ensure B.C.’s wine industry has the stability they need to recover fully, protect jobs, and continue producing the high-quality wines British Columbia is known for.”

The Okanagan Valley has 86 per cent of B.C’s vineyard acreage, according to Wine Growers of BC. The industry employs more than 14,000 full-time workers and generates roughly $3.75 billion for the economy each year.

“For a second year, consumers will have the opportunity to discover these wines alongside 100 per cent BC wines, continuing to support the wineries they cherish and ensuring our wine industry remains a vibrant pillar of BC’s tourism, culture, and way of life,” Wine Growers BC president Jeff Guignard said in the release.

Wine Growers BC estimated that in 2025 the province was more than 10,000 tonnes short of the grape harvest needed to make enough wine to keep the wine industry strong.

“This extension is a vital bridge from last year’s crisis toward a sustainable future for BC wine. Without this support, we’ve heard directly from wineries who were days away from having to lay off staff. That’s how real the pressure is,” Guignard said.

Guignard said that the industry is committed to making sure BC VQA wine maintains its quality and reputation.

“Wine Growers BC will always promote BC grapes first, and we remain relentlessly committed to the integrity and quality of BC VQA wines—now and in the future. Even with temporary supports extended, we’re still working to ensure industry looks local first so that every BC grape ends up on a bottle,” he said.

Chair of the BC Grapegrower’s Association Bobby Ercego said the industry needs another year to be back at full strength.

“B.C.’s grape growing industry needs one more year to get back to full strength,” Ercego said in the release. “This extension gives everyone—growers and wineries alike—a better shot at surviving this transitional period and coming out stronger on the other side.”