Province offering cash to boost Niagara Region wineries

At a joint announcement this morning (July 19) in Stoney Creek, Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, announced that the Province could be given one-time grants to help out wineries, such as Niagara Region’s, that suffered through Ontario’s tough 2020-2021 restrictions stopping tourists and residents from visiting their properties.

“Ontario’s wineries and cideries have told us their businesses are being hit hard by the economic impacts of this pandemic and the cancellation of large events and tours,” Thompson said.

“With this announcement,” she continued, “our government is taking the necessary steps to provide these businesses with the support they need to continue operating, recover and to maintain these good jobs in the agri-food sector.”

MacLeod added that the government recognized the significant impact of the Agri-Tourism sector on Ontario’s social and economic recovery.

“The launch of a new Winery Agri-Tourism Relief Initiative will support and maintain the vital jobs of those who continue to fight to ensure this sector is able to come back stronger than before,” she said.

The 2021 Provincial Budget committed to providing a one‑time $10 million grant to help wineries and cideries impacted by COVID-19 and to ensure that agricultural production and local jobs are maintained in Ontario’s rural and winery communities.

The delivery agent of the new Winery Agri-Tourism COVID-19 Relief Initiative will be Agricorp, which will start sending applications for the program directly to eligible wineries and cideries tomorrow (July 20).