Wine Sector Support Program
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Who actually receives this funding
283 businesses received this funding in 2025 — 1,520 awards since 2022. Typical award: $23K. Half of all awards fall between $9.3K and $62.2K. The advertised maximum is $25M — most awards land closer to $23K. 96% of recipients are for-profit businesses. Top sectors among classified recipients: Beverage and tobacco mfg, Crop production, Food services. Top provinces: British Columbia 39% · Ontario 33% · Quebec 20%. Covers: AAFC Wine Sector Support Program contributions to Canadian wine producers (wineries and sole-proprietor wine farms). Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure data · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Data through Q4 2026.
The typical Wine Sector Support Program award is $23K — the median of 1,520 awards since 2022, even though the program advertises up to $25M. In 2025, 283 businesses were funded; 96% were for-profit companies.
Named recipients
Recent recipients of the Wine Sector Support Program include Kawartha Country Wines (Buckhorn, ON, 2025), Celista Estate Winery Ltd. (Celista, BC, 2025) and Tender Hope Winery (West Kelowna, BC, 2025).
- 2025Kawartha Country Wines
- 2025Celista Estate Winery Ltd.
- 2025Tender Hope Winery
- 2025Lariana Cellars LTD.
- 2025Skimmerhorn Wines Inc.
- 2025Vinerie DesFruits Winery
- 2025Vignoble Leblanc
- 2025Château de cartes
- 202550th Parallel Estate
- 2025Ferme Agribert SENC
Show 30 more recipients
- 2025Van Westen Vineyards Ltd.
- 2025Sea Star Vineyard and Winery Ltd.
- 2025Chain Reaction Winery
- 2025Vignoble La vallée des nuages
- 2025Macedo Winery
- 2025Domaine Ives Hill
- 2025Jost Vineyards Limited
- 2025Reif Estate Winery
- 2025Paglione Estate Winery
- 2025Verger Belliveau Orchard
- 2025Southbrook Vineyards
- 2025Blomidon Estate Winery
- 2025Erie Shore Vineyard
- 2025Vignoble Domaine Bresee
- 2025Vignoble de la Bauge
- 2025Saint-Pierre le Vignoble Inc.
- 2025Hounds of Erie Winery
- 2025Harbour Estates Winery
- 2025Bee & Thistle Winery Inc.
- 2025Chain Yard Urban Cidery
- 2025Shrugging Doctor Brewing Company Ltd.
- 2025Planters Ridge Winery Ltd.
- 2025Benjamin Bridge Vineyards
- 2025Frozen in Time Ltd.
- 2025Avondale Sky Winery
- 2025Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards
- 2025Luckett Vineyards
- 2025Cypress Hills Winery
- 2025Richibucto River Wine Estate
- 2025Island Honey Wine Company
Source: Government of Canada proactive disclosure
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
A per-litre volume-based non-repayable grant for licensed Canadian wineries responding to trade challenges. AAFC calculates a per-litre payment rate by dividing the annual grant allocation by total eligible litres submitted by all applicants, up to a maximum of $25 million per recipient per fiscal year. Applications accepted annually by May 29 for the prior production year.
Eligibility Requirements
- Holds a valid federal wine licence from the Canada Revenue Agency (section 14, Excise Act, 2001), current through March 31, 2027 or later
- For-profit organization, not-for-profit academic institution, cooperative, trust, sole proprietorship, or partnership that produces wine in Canada for commercial sale
- Produced eligible bulk wine fermented in Canada from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026
- Owned the primary agricultural products used to produce the wine (grown, produced, or purchased)
- Minimum $50,000 in total gross sales of all wine packaged in Canada during the previous calendar or fiscal year
- Legal entity capable of entering into legally binding agreements
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Variable per-litre rate; maximum $25,000,000 per recipient per fiscal year
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Deadline
- Between intakes — 2025-26 intake closed June 5, 2026 (promoted deadline was May 29, 2026; program extended to June 5). No 2026-27 intake announced yet. Program ends March 31, 2027.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Accessible — straightforward requirements
Low competition — good odds of approval
Easy — minimal documentation
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipThis is an entitlement-style program — all eligible wineries who submit before May 29 receive payment.
Rejection Pitfalls 6
- No valid federal wine licence from CRA (provincial liquor licence is not sufficient)
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Everything you need to win Wine Sector Support Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 2-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 5
Eligible Expenses 2
Ineligible Expenses 6
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow Wine Sector Support Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wine Sector Support Program | Variable per-litre rate | Easy | Lump Sum | Between intakes —... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Wine Sector Support Program