CANADIAN WINE LAW CONFERENCE 2025

In 2025, the wine and liquor industry in Canada – and specifically the Canadian wine industry – face a multitude of legal, regulatory and business uncertainties, against a fast-moving backdrop.  AIDV Canada’s 2025 Canadian Wine Law Conference brings clarity where possible, with panels and speakers covering external and internal trade, labelling and marketing, health policy and wine culture, and the general business environment for wine in Canada.

DATE:  Thursday, June 12, 2025

LOCATION: Vancouver, B.C. and online

Offices of Farris LLP
700 West Georgia St, Suite 2500
Vancouver, B.C.

TIME:  8:45 am – 5:30 pm PDT

8:00 am PDT – On-Site Registration Opens

8:45 am – 5:30 pm PDT / 11:45 am – 8:30 pm EDT – Conference Program

5:30 pm PDT – Networking and Wine Reception

REGISTRATION: 

• Member: $165
• Non-Member: $225
• Wine sector representative (non-member): $125
• Student: $50

In-person registration includes Networking Reception but not Lunch. Prices exclude tax.

Registration link will be sent to registrants the day prior to the conference.

Purchase tickets here or button to right (on desktop).

AGENDA

8:00 am PDT
On-Site Registration Opens

8:45 am PDT / 11:45 am EDT
Introduction and Overview

Chris Wilson – Norton Rose Fulbright LLP (Vancouver)
President, AIDV Canada

9:00 PDT / 12:00 noon EDT
British Columbia Regulatory Update

Fires? Freezes? Health Claims? Tariffs? Multi-dimensional external factors are affecting the Canadian wine industry and its regulation. Senior representatives of the BC LCRB and BC LDB will discuss recent British Columbia regulatory changes that are of vital importance to industry: including the 2024 vintage replacement programme, LDB winery categorizations and licensing reforms.

Mark Hicken – Alca Intelligence
Panel Chair

David Hume – Assistant Deputy Minister and General Manager,
B.C. Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch

Erin McEwan – Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Administrative Officer,
B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch

10:00 am PDT / 1:00 pm EDT
Break

10:30 am PDT / 1:30 pm EDT
Labelling and Marketing

Building on the opening policy discussion, this multi-jurisdictional panel explores the current rule set applicable to health warnings and ingredient labelling of alcoholic beverages in their respective jurisdictions. Each presenter will be invited to comment on the current legal/political landscape in their jurisdiction and speak to any proposed and/or pending rule changes.

Lee Chitty – Cases & Cases (Ottawa)
Panel Chair

Evie Bouras – McCarthy Tétrault LLP (Toronto)

Erin Kelleher – Hinman & Carmichael LLP (San Francisco)

Marco Giuri – Studio Giuiri Avvocati (Florence, Italy)

11:30 am PDT / 2:30 pm EDT
Health Policy and Wine Culture

This panel will detail and assess the state of government regulatory and health policy changes in Canada, the US and Europe affecting the wine industry, and discuss responses from a wine culture perspective to reach policymakers and consumers.

Karen Graham – WineDrops (Okanagan Valley)
Panel Chair

Bennett Caplan – Abridge (International Wine Regulation Database) (Washington DC)

Dr. Dan Malleck – Professor, Health Sciences, Brock University (St Catharines, ON)

Harry Hertscheg – Vancouver International Wine Festival (Vancouver)

12:30 pm PDT / 3:30 pm EDT

Lunch – On Your Own 

For virtual attendees: the link will re-open just before 2:00 pm PDT

2:00 pm PDT / 5:00 pm EDT
International Trade Panel: Tariffs, Uncertainty, and other Current Topics in Cross-border Trade

Recent developments in the realm of international trade have resulted in uncertainty, adversity, and risks of real economic harm for Canadians. This panel will dynamically address the pressing international trade issues as they stand.

Dan Hohnstein – Tereposky & DeRose LLP (Ottawa)
Panel Chair 

Brady Gordon – Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (Vancouver)

Dan Kiselbach – Miller Thomson LLP (Vancouver)

Matt Thirlwell – Vintage West Wine & Spirits (Vancouver)

3:00 pm PDT / 6:00 pm EDT
Break

3:30 pm PDT / 6:30 pm EDT
Internal Trade Update: Liberalisation in Wine?

New momentum for breaking down internal trade barriers is leading to regulatory changes designed to enable freer movement of goods, including Canadian wine.  The panel will consider progress to date for nation-wide direct Canadian wine sales, and assess the wider policy and economic implications of fuller trade liberalisation.

Megan O’Neill – Farris LLP (Vancouver)
Panel Chair

David Lawrason – WineAlign & National Wine Awards of Canada (Toronto)

Jeff Guignard – WineGrowers British Columbia (incoming) (Vancouver)

Jairo Yunis – Business Council of British Columbia (Vancouver)

Jeff Guignard – WineGrowers BC (Vancouver)

4:30 pm PDT / 7:30 pm EDT

Wine Leaders Panel: Market and Business Outlook

This panel leads off with the presentation of the 2025 BMO North American Wine Market Report. Canadian winery representatives then discuss industry challenges, opportunities and strategies.

Erin Korpisto – CoFerment Management (TerraVista Vineyards and Synchromesh Wines)
Panel Chair      (Okanagan Valley)

Adam Beak – Managing Director and Head, Wine and Spirits, BMO (Napa)

Severine Pinte – Managing Partner, Le Vieux Pin and LaStella Winery (Okanagan Valley)

5:30 pm PDT
Networking Reception and Wine Tasting