Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has stopped a subsidy for wine bottlers that the province’s wineries said undermines their operations.
Houston informed dozens of wine producers today at the legislature that he is forming a working group to develop a new measure that will satisfy all the players in the sector.
He made the announcement after meeting with representatives from the province’s wine industry on Monday.
The government is retreating from its new commercial wine support program after facing strong criticism from opposition parties and the agricultural sector.
Wine makers said the subsidy would have enabled bottling companies to bring in cheaper grape juice to make more wine.
The government has not provided many details, but the wine makers claim they were informed that the province had committed between $6 million and $12 million per year through the program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2024.
