Lincoln: Economic recovery support for craft wineries and restaurants

Posted in: News Item

Date Posted: 2021-08-18

Organization Name: Town of Lincoln

Town of Lincoln council and staff are continuing their advocacy efforts with the Minister of Finance during the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) 2021 Virtual Conference from August 16 to 18, 2021, in support of the local craft beverage and tourism industry. The Town of Lincoln extended an invitation to Niagara-on-the-Lake and Prince Edward County to join the delegation and collaborative discussion.

The town delegation expressed their appreciation of the province’s support of the wine industry with the one-year Winery Agri-Tourism COVID-10 Relief Initiative granted earlier this year. The town is also urging the province to support Ontario craft wineries and Lincoln’s hospitality sector during the new alcohol modernization and taxation strategy and asks the province to support Ontario’s restaurants through an alcohol price reduction strategy.

“Lincoln is one of the top tourism destinations in Ontario, and our wineries are a large source of economic activity for our local restaurants and agri-tourism related enterprises,” said Town of Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton. “Craft beverage and tourism is the largest segment of our local economy, employing thousands of our residents. Our wineries and restaurants need taxation relief so that they can reinvest in their business and continue to create more jobs for Lincoln and Niagara residents.”

“This is an ongoing conversation between the Town and the Minister of Finance that we are confident will lead to improved outcomes for this important economic sector,” said the town’s Chair of the Planning and Economic Development Committee Mike Mikolic. “The wine and tourism industry are key contributors to our local economy, and we will continue to advocate on their behalf to support overall growth and prosperity in Lincoln.”

“Lincoln is home to more than 50 wineries, with beverage manufacturing jobs in Lincoln accounting for more than 20 times the provincial average,” added the town’s Chief Administrative Officer Michael Kirkopoulos. “Further taxation relief is especially needed for the wineries and restaurants who have been hit hard by the pandemic.”

“Thank you to the Ontario government and our municipal partners for their continued support of our industry. The Winery Agri-Tourism COVID-19 Relief initiative will help support the recovery and sustainability of our sector,” says Carolyn Hurst, Chair, Ontario Craft Wineries. “Every dollar spent on wine grown in Ontario goes back into the growth of our province, and our sector will not survive without meaningful tax reform, particularly in wholesale channels. Ontario is a world-class producer of wine and its regulations and tax policies should reflect that and prioritize Ontario products.”

To learn more about Economic Development and the key sectors in Lincoln, visit https://lincoln.ca/economic-development