Bulletin 25-06: Repeal of the 4,500-Litre Minimum Production Requirement for Wineries
Publication date: November 28, 2025Who's impacted
These changes apply to the following licence:
- Wineries
What's changing
Winery licensees are no longer required to meet winery-specific licence renewal requirements. This means that wineries no longer have an annual minimum production requirement of 4,500 litres. The change reduces the administrative burden on licensees, streamlines licensing requirements for all manufacturers, and responds to industry feedback following the B.C. grape shortage in 2024.
Going forward, wineries will be treated the same as breweries and distilleries. Liquor production will continue to be assessed to determine if a manufacturer licence is active or dormant. Manufacturer licences that are deemed dormant must follow dormancy rules.
Helpful information
No action is required from licensees for this change to take effect.
This amendment does not alter land-use or agricultural requirements under the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) or Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) framework. Wineries located in the ALR must still comply with ALC regulations.
Read about the update in the Manufacturer Licence Terms and Conditions Handbook [PDF, 618KB] (pages 10, 18, and 25).
Disclaimer
Bulletins are for general information and may not apply to all situations. Bulletins do not constitute legal advice nor are they a comprehensive statement of the legal obligations that arise under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, Cannabis Control and Licensing Act, regulations, or any other applicable laws.
When interpreting and applying the information contained in the Bulletins, you are encouraged to seek advice from your professional advisors as appropriate in the circumstances.