Ontario's wine industry adjusts as smoke discourages tourists

Barrels of wine are shown in the cellar at Southbrook Organic Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

Some wineries and wine tourism companies in southern Ontario are making adjustments to their operations for visitors concerned about the lingering wildfire smoke in the air.

Even as the smoke dissipates, Rich Mell, co-owner of Grape Escape Wine Tours in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., says he spent most of his Thursday taking calls from tourists asking to cancel upcoming bookings or looking at other options going into the weekend, especially for bike wine tours.

He says he is offering alternatives, such as e-bikes and vehicle tours, and is being more flexible with tour lengths and his rescheduling policy.

Paul Speck, co-owner of Henry of Pelham winery in St. Catharines, Ont., says he had to move a gathering indoors earlier this week as the smoke thickened, but mostly, he says his winery has so far been relatively unscathed because weekdays are not as busy.

And as the weekend rolls in, Speck says there’s room indoors for tourists to escape the smoke, if it isn’t gone by then.

Summer is usually the peak tourism season for many wineries and vineyard tour operators but some say weather events such as extreme heat has dented business in recent years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026.

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press