Punishing U.S. wine isn’t enough to help B.C. wineries, says Summerland winery owner

BC Liquor stores displaying ”Buy Canadian Instead” signage (Image Credit: Facebook/ILoveCanada)

By Jamie Tawil

Grape Grievance

Aug 25, 2026 | 10:33 AM

A Summerland winery owner says the collapse of Canada-U.S. trade talks should be an opportunity to put more Canadian wine on B.C. liquor-store shelves.

Ron Kubek of Lightning Rock Winery says he supports Ottawa’s decision to reject a deal that would not be in Canada’s national interest.

But he says removing American wine means little for Canadian producers if the space is simply filled with wine from other countries.

“Taking American wine off the shelf is only half a policy,” Kubek said. “If BCLS fills that space with wine from every other country, as it has, except the United States, it has not created an opportunity for Canadian wineries or the Canadian economy.”