Wineries Say Lifting Provincial Trade Restrictions Would Deliver Multi‑Billion Dollar GDP Boost

Bottles of wine are shown on display at a liquor store in Cremona, Alta., on Feb. 7, 2018. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

Canada’s wine sector is already valued in excess of $10 billion annually, but the industry says some simple modifications, including the removal of domestic trade restrictions, could inject billions more into the national economy.

A recent report by Deloitte, commissioned by Wine Growers Canada, indicates that domestic support of the country’s wine sector could use a boost. Wines produced or blended in Canada in 2023-2024 accounted for just 28.8 percent of all wine sales in the country.