Niagara Vintners Battle Mud and Water After Unprecedented Floods
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
As provincial leaders meet in flood-stricken municipalities, vineyard owners struggle to drain saturated soil and protect generational legacies.
While Ontario Premier Doug Ford met with the mayors of Lincoln and St. Catharines to discuss the impact of recent flooding, vintners in the Niagara Region are engaged in a desperate cleanup to save their crops and infrastructure.
According to CityNews Toronto, the region was hit by back-to-back storms on July 27, 28, and Aug. 2. Global News Toronto reports these storms dumped approximately 250 millimetres of rain—about a quarter of the region's typical annual precipitation—in less than a week. The deluge overwhelmed drainage systems, leaving thousands of homes and businesses inundated.
For James Zabek, president and owner of Zabek Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the event was historic. Zabek noted that his 70-year-old father had never seen such rainfall in his farming career. Zabek reported that the vineyard's underground drainage pipes were overwhelmed, leaving low spots flooded. He estimates it will take three weeks to return to normal operations and warned that saturated soil increases the risk of mildew and could potentially kill the vines.
Other producers faced varying levels of destruction. Harald Thiel, owner of Hidden Bench Estate Winery, reported three to four feet of water in some areas, noting that infrastructure must adapt to the "new reality of climate change." At Malivoire Wine Company, manager of club and direct-to-consumer sales Tammy Kruck said floodwaters broke a wooden door and pushed an outdoor bar onto a patio, while ruined labels rendered some bottles unsellable.
Paul Speck, president and co-owner of Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, said the timing of the floods was the most critical factor, though his own property escaped major damage. He stated that if the floods had occurred during the harvest in September or October, the situation would be "disastrous."
St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe expressed frustration over the speed of government response, while a spokesperson for Ontario’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response stated the province is assessing eligibility for its disaster recovery program.