Media Releases

For immediate release:
March 13, 2019

PENTICTON, BC – Following another successful BC Wine Industry Insight Conference (March 12, 2019 at the Penticton Lakeside Resort, Penticton), the BC Wine Institute is pleased to announce the launch of the WineBC2030 long-term strategic plan.

Bringing together more than 200 industry stakeholders and key speakers, the BC Wine Industry Insight Conference provided an informative overview of the current and future states of the wine industry from industry experts. The conference concluded with the delivery of WineBC2030 – a culmination of more than 18 months of industry engagement led by the BC Wine Institute in developing a ten-year strategic plan for the BC wine industry.

“In a rapidly evolving environment, the global wine industry is changing at an unprecedented rate,” notes Miles Prodan, President & CEO of the BC Wine Institute. “WineBC2030 is about coordinating efforts to provide a vibrant future for the next generation of farmers and winemakers to thrive.”

The BC Wine Institute partnered with The Artemis Group and O’Donnell Lane LLP to develop a well-actioned plan for the BC wine industry. The result is a synchronized strategy for all areas of the industry, a guide for decision-making over the next ten years that is tailored to the strengths of the region as a whole.

“It has been a privilege working together with the BC Wine Institute on the WineBC2030 project and getting to know this extremely diverse and rich region,” says Honore Comfort, founder of The Artemis Group. “BC is poised to rise to the next level of prominence within the global wine industry. Our goal with the plan is to offer the insights, strategy and direction to guide the process and help the industry leverage its unique strengths to build a healthy and profitable future.”

The road to WineBC2030 began in October 2017, when the BCWI board recognized the need for a long-term strategic plan. Since then, more than 30 meetings have taken place in 12 locations province-wide. More than 650 industry participants provided input into the plan via multiple platforms, including industry working groups with representation from each of the sub-regions in BC, local industry experts and key stakeholders. In addition, progress updates were regularly communicated to the industry, creating opportunities for interested members of the wine community to contribute.

“There was an incredible amount of industry engagement throughout the planning process. The intention was to create an environment of transparency, accountability and engagement to work collaboratively and to listen and learn from the industry in order to build a plan that will serve this industry and the goals going forward.” notes Prodan.

During the BC Wine Industry Insight Conference, Comfort led industry through the strategic vision of WineBC2030, addressing overarching issues and opportunities that will shape and sustain the industry for decades, including sound strategies tailored to address the specific complexities of the BC wine industry.

“BC is truly one of the most distinctive wine regions I’ve been to. The BC wine industry has an opportunity to claim its place on the world’s wine stage. This is an exciting turning point for the industry.” Comfort said, during her presentation.

The final long-term strategic plan for the British Columbia wine industry serves as a dynamic model designed as a high-level and visionary road map to guide implementation, facilitate decision-making, adapt to shifting external forces, and motivate an industry to grow and change.

“A lot of what we are already doing is in this plan, so it’s good to have verified we are on the right track,” notes Prodan. “The Board of Directors has enthusiastically endorsed this plan, so the next step is to implement the long-term strategic plan into our annual operations planning, for years to come. Recognizing this is an industry-wide opportunity, we are committed to taking this forward.

About Wine BC 2030:

The aim of Wine BC 2030 is to develop a Long-Term Strategic Plan, creating a clear roadmap that will benefit all areas of the BC wine industry. Funding for this project has been provided by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

For more information on WineBC2030 click here.

The BC Wine Industry Insight Conference was hosted by the BC Wine Institute in partnership with the BC Wine Grape Council, the BC Grapegrowers’ Association and the BC Wine Authority.

– 30 –

Editors: Photos are linked for your consideration with the following cutlines,

Photos 1 –  WineBC2030 Long-term strategic plan expected outcomes infographic
Photo 2 – Okanagan Valley, British Columbia