2025 ONTARIO WINE INDUSTRY CHAMPION AWARD

This award recognizes champions who are passionate about Ontario wine and industry prosperity, beyond those employed directly in the industry. Each year, Wine Growers Ontario and Ontario Craft Wineries bestow the honour to an individual who does not work in a winery, who has provided exemplary support for the Ontario wine industry through media, research, policy and regulation, education or advocacy, significantly contributing to the overall strength and long-term viability of the industry. This year, we congratulate Laurie Macdonald, Executive Director, Ontario Wine Appellation Authority.

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Laurie Macdonald

Executive Director, Ontario Wine Appellation Authority

Laurie Macdonald is responsible for administering the provincial VQA regulations that ensure truth-in-labelling for Ontario wines. She is a strong believer in industry engagement as a cornerstone of achieving compliance, and that VQA standards can both protect consumers and build a strong foundation for industry success.

Laurie has several decades of experience at regulatory agencies that protect consumers and the public interest, including 25 years leading OWAA and 10 years working within the regulatory governance of the engineering profession. She holds an engineering degree and began her career practicing as a professional engineer in northern Canada. She has served on a number of Boards and committees dedicated to consumer protection and quality assurance, most recently the Ontario College Quality Assurance Management Board, the Real Estate Council of Ontario Consumer Advisory Committee and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Royal Canadian Air Cadet youth movement, a local Flying Club, and the 99s Women Pilots Association.

Laurie continues to champion the unique value proposition of VQA wines and to have a keen interest in empowering consumers with the knowledge they need to be confident in their choice of Ontario VQA wines.

“I am honoured to receive this recognition from the Ontario Wine industry. It is my pleasure to work with our industry stakeholders to help them navigate the VQA program and ensure the credibility of our appellations and wines is a solid base for their future growth.”