Wine & Grape Industry Contributes $6.8B to Canadian Economy

 — Most comprehensive examination ever conducted in Canadian wine industry history —

Ottawa, Ontario – (March 5, 2013) – The findings of the largest research study ever conducted on the Canadian wine and grape industry reveal a prosperous and expanding $6.8 billion dollar industry.

Commissioned by the Canadian Vintners Association, the Winery & Grower Alliance of Ontario, the British Columbia Wine Institute and the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, the report titled Canada’s Wine Economy – Ripe Robust Remarkable confirms the wine industry has become a large and significant contributor to the overall Canadian economy, especially in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

“The research findings reinforce the significant economic value the Canadian wine industry brings to the national economy,” said Dan Paszkowski, President, Canadian Vintners Association. “The impacts are both direct and indirect, from job creation and tourism to tax generation and agricultural growth, the wine industry benefits multiple business sectors across the entire Canadian economy,” he added.

Key Findings:

• Canadian wine industry production has an annual national economic impact of $6.8 billion. Specifically, for every bottle of wine produced in Canada there is $31 of domestic economic impact generated in the country.
• The wine and grape industry is responsible for more than 31,000 jobs in Canada from manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, transportation, research, restaurants and retail.
• Wine-related tourism welcomes more than 3 million visitors each year, generating more than $1.2 billion annually in tourism revenue and employment.
• The wine industry generates $1.2 billion in federal and provincial tax revenue and liquor board mark up.
• Canadians enjoy over 1 billion glasses or 220 million bottles of wine produced by the Canadian wine industry each year.

Canadian winemakers support a broad network of related industries in urban and regional centres across Canada through significant investments, long-term jobs and market opportunities in rural communities.

Wine consumption in Canada continues to grow as many Canadians are reaching for a glass of wine over spirits or beer. With Canadian wines presently representing only 30% of total wine sales across the country and imported wine at 70%, there is enormous potential for Canadian wine growth and the entire national economy.

“Every dollar invested in the Canadian wine economy stimulates more jobs, more revenue and more taxes,” says Paszkowski. “The large and growing economic impact of Canada’s wine and grape industry is very compelling and will continue to spread across many sectors of the economy.

The independent study was conducted by Frank, Rimerman + Co. a leading international accounting and research firm in the wine industry, which has conducted similar studies for other winemaking regions.

Complete findings of the study can be found in the research report, Canada’s Wine Economy – Ripe Robust Remarkable. www.canadianvintners.com