Atlantic Wine Institute Opens at Acadia

New Acadia Centre for Rural Innovation will house institute focused on Atlantic wine research, outreach and education

Acadia University today announced that the second confirmed tenant for its new Acadia Centre for Rural Innovation will be the multi-institutional Atlantic Wine Institute.  The announcement was made at the Atlantic Canada Wine Symposium in Halifax.  The Institute will be led by Director Dr. Donna Sears, a faculty member from Acadia’s F.C. Manning School of Business Administration.  Dr. Sears will build on her extensive work with Atlantic Canada’s wine industry, having presented this research at regional, national, and international conferences.

“Acadia has a number of tremendously positive relationships with wine industry participants and is pleased that its new Innovation Centre can play a role in advancing this important Nova Scotia industry,” said Dr. David MacKinnon, Acadia’s Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. “Our collaborators in the Atlantic Wine Institute bring expertise and industry connections that will benefit grape growers and wine producers to further advance Nova Scotia’s reputation for producing top quality, award-winning wines. There is no question that the wine industry will continue to be a significant economic sector for Nova Scotia and I’m looking forward to all of the benefits that will flow into our communities from the work performed at the Wine Institute.”

The Atlantic Wine Institute is a multi-institutional initiative, involving Acadia University, the Nova Scotia Community College, the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Saint Mary’s University, Holland College, Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick , the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, and the Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia. 

"This represents an exciting opportunity for post-secondary institutions in the region to strengthen the support provided to our grape and wine industries through increased collaboration and coordination of our efforts,” according to Isabel Madeira-Voss, principal of the Kingstec campus of the Nova Scotia Community College.

Dr. Richard Donald, Vice-President Research, Extension and Outreach at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College said "research, innovation and technology transfer are the keys to ensure that agricultural industries remain competitive. The wine institute will help us to ensure that our teaching and research resources are fully coordinated to support the growing grape and wine industry in Nova Scotia and the region."

The mission of the Institute is to support the Atlantic wine industry from grape growth through wine production, and in the functional areas of business. The day-to-day work of the Institute will be to consult with both industry and academics to identify opportunities, suggest and direct research, leverage research support, facilitate collaboration among partner institutions, industry, organizations, and individual businesses. As well, it will coordinate and disseminate information and outreach activities to ensure communication among all regional stakeholders.

The Institute’s activities will benefit the region’s wine industry, which is unique due to geography, terroir, climate, and business size. The Institute has already begun its work, but will continue officially when the Centre for Rural Innovation opens later this summer. 

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