SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING ONTARIO CERTIFIED
Mission
Cultivate awareness, commitment, and leadership in sustainable winegrowing practices in Ontario.
Vision
By 2030 all of Ontario’s VQA wineries and vineyards will be Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certified.
SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING ONTARIO CERTIFIED BACKGROUND
In 2007, the Ontario Craft Wineries (OCW) and Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) worked in partnership to create the Sustainable Winemaking Ontario: An Environmental Charter for the Wine Industry and the Ontario Viticulture Sustainability Certification Program. These proactive programs were developed for wineries and vineyards to provide information on environmental requirements and identify new sustainable opportunities while complying with existing government regulations. In 2017, SWO Certified standards became an accredited certification program audited by independent third-party auditors, thus providing further validity to the sustainability efforts from the industry. In 2021, the OCW and GGO merged the two programs to create one unified program – Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario (SWO) Certified. This program is built around the three core pillars of sustainability – Environment, Economy and Community. Practices within these pillars reflect how SWO Certified wineries and growers are invested in respecting our natural resources, building sustainable businesses and committed to social responsibility. Evolving SWO Certified to include both winery and vineyard certification ensures that the complete grape to glass cycle is sustainable. Look for the Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certified logo on your favourite Ontario VQA wine bottle starting with the 2021 vintage.
SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING ONTARIO COMMITTEE
The Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Committee is a regular Ad Hoc committee of the Ontario Craft Wineries Board chaired by a board member appointed annually following the AGM. Membership in this committee consists of invited Ontario Craft Wineries’ members along with industry stakeholders invited to participate in committee discussions.
Chair: Andrea Kaiser, Reif Estate Winery
Benjamin Whitty, 13th Street Winery
Dave Hooper, Cave Spring Vineyard
JL Groux, Stratus Vineyards
Shiraz Mottiar, Malivoire Wine Company
Matt Speck, Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
Allison Findlay, Niagara College Teaching Winery
Nick Lemieux, Grape Growers of Ontario
Debbie Zimmerman, Grape Growers of Ontario
Erwin Wiens, Grape Growers of Ontario
Laurie MacDonald, Ontario Wine Appellation Authority
Peter Harris, Ontario Wine Appellation Authority
Dean Foerter, Wine Marketing Association of Ontario
Andrea Peters, Wine Marketing Association of Ontario
SWO CERTIFICATION PROCESS
Many Ontario winemakers and grape growers choose to take their environmentally-friendly practices one step further by participating in the voluntary Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certified program. To earn certification, wineries and vineyards are third-party audited annually to ensure that they are adhering to environmentally sustainable practices in their winemaking and grape growing operations.
AUDIT CYCLE
Wineries and vineyards are third-party audited on a three-year cycle. Year one, auditors conduct an on-site audit with winery and vineyard representatives. Years two and three, auditors conduct an online audit to review changes that have been made and ensure previous recommendations have been implemented.