The wine industry is facing a devastating downturn, says Westbank First Nation Chief Robert Louie.
He says the climate change-related freeze event in December 2022 is one of the key culprits behind the short-term and longer-term effects on Okanagan wine grape crops.
鈥淚 have heard of grape growers who have lost 100 per cent of their grape crops,鈥� Louie said.
鈥淕rape growers are feeling the pinch as their losses are significant.鈥�
Louie made the comments during his presentation about the Indigenous people鈥檚 impact on the national, provincial and local economy at a 琉璃神社 Chamber of Commerce luncheon held Thursday (Oct. 5) at the Coast Capri Hotel.
Louie, who operates his own winery, said grape growers have faced a two-year downturn in growing conditions.
鈥淭he freezing temperatures may be great for icewine makers but it isn鈥檛 very good for the rest of us when you combine that with the lack of snow ground cover to protect the plants,鈥� he said.
Louie said grape plant blossom damage has a one-year recovery rate, but permanent damage to grape plants means a five-year costly setback.
鈥淎 lot of people are on edge about what has happened with the grapes鈥 don鈥檛 mean to sound the alarm but we need to understand where the industry is at right now.鈥�
Earlier this summer, the Wine Growers British Columbia and Cascadia Partners released a commissioned report about the impact of a freeze event last winter, finding a potential crop reduction of 39 to 56 per cent.
鈥淥ur industry-wide research concluded that our worst fears were realized with a 54 per cent reduction in 2023 and 45 per cent of total planted acreage suffering long-term irreparable damage,鈥� said Miles Prodan, president and CEO of Wine Growers British Columbia.
The report found production losses of this magnitude will have a severe impact on the economics of the industry, affecting the revenues of both vineyards and wineries, tax revenues collected by the government, and the livelihoods of agricultural workers and other wine professional professionals with a projected job loss of 381 full-time jobs.
鈥淥ur industry has taken several devastating hits over the past several years and this freeze event has really compounded the situation,鈥� said Christa-Lee McWatters, chair of Wine Growers BC.
鈥淭he provincial support programs provided relief for some, however, with the widespread impact of climate change we require concerted government efforts in order to sustain the livelihoods of these important local businesses.鈥�
The hardest hits grape growing areas, the report says, are the South Okanagan, 琉璃神社 and Similkameen Valley, each showing potential losses of 60 per cent or more.
Regarding loss by wine variety, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon suffered the most each with projected losses of more than 65 per cent.
To counter the grape crop losses, Wine Growers British Columbia launched a new campaign called 鈥楩all for BC Wine鈥� this month, encouraging people to choose B.C. wines at liquor stores and restaurants and to visit a B.C. winery this fall.
鈥淲inemaking has never been an industry for the faint of heart 鈥� resilience is a prerequisite,鈥� said Prodan.
鈥淗owever, these setbacks are temporary. We鈥檝e always been fortunate to have enormous support for the wines of B.C. from local consumers and, with them behind us, we know the industry will overcome these challenges.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking forward to an exciting future for B.C. wine.鈥�
As part of the campaign, the industry wants to recognize a 鈥榗ommunity hero鈥� who stepped up for their community during this summer鈥檚 wildfire crisis.
Nominees can be a first responder, a community volunteer or someone who took in those in need, with one lucky recipient from the pool of nominees winning an all-expenses paid VIP trip for two to B.C. Wine Country this November.
For more information on this contest, check out the website.
