January 21, 2020, Ottawa, ON – – – The Canadian Vintners Association (CVA), the voice of the wine industry across Canada, is proud to announce that we have changed our name to Wine Growers Canada (WGC) to better reflect the value-add agriculture, agri-food and growth opportunities of this dynamic industry.
“Rebranding ourselves as Wine Growers Canada reflects our deep connection to the land, by creating magic from the vineyard to the glass. As farmers, winemakers, retailers and tourism operators, we are the highest value-add agricultural product in Canada, contributing more than $9 billion in annual economic impact,” said Dan Paszkowski, President and CEO.
Wine Growers Canada continues to represent wineries across all the wine growing regions of Canada. Our member wineries are responsible for almost 95% of all grape wine produced in Canada including 100% Canadian, Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wines and International-
Domestic Blended wines. WGC will continue to bring together our membership to advocate on public policy initiatives by working cooperatively with governments and other stakeholders to find solutions that benefit Canadian wineries and the communities in which we work and live.
At our 53rd Annual General Meeting, the national association welcomed Kelly Brown, Senior Vice President Legal & Corporate Affairs at Arterra Wines Canada, as the first female chair of the national wine association.
“Canada’s grape growing and wine making success has exceeded global expectations, by achieving in a relatively few years, what has taken decades in most major wine producing regions around the world. Today, nearly 700 wineries from coast to coast are enhancing the vibrancy and sustainability of our vineyards and agricultural communities, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and attracting millions of tourists every year. Our new brand, Wine Growers Canada, will tell that story,” said, Kelly Brown.
Working collaboratively with government, industry partners and consumers, Wine Growers Canada will continue to support and advance efforts in key social and environmental areas along the entire farm-to-table value chain.
For more information about Wine Growers Canada please visit our website winegrowerscanada.ca or follow us on Twitter @WineGrowersCA.
For additional information:
Asha Hingorani
Director, Government and Public Affairs
Wine Growers Canada
613-462-7080
Email: asha@wgcanada.ca