Carolyn Hurst | Co-Founder | Westcott Vineyards

Carolyn Hurst, Co-Founder of Westcott Vineyards

Carolyn Hurst · Co-Founder · Westcott Vineyards

Her Story

A Career Built on Bold Decisions

Carolyn Hurst's path to becoming one of Niagara's most respected wine industry leaders began long before the first vine was planted at Westcott. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, she built a distinguished career in technology and business, serving as President of three successful companies: Why Interactive Inc., ITC Corp., and Effingham Technology Management Inc. Each exceeded its business goals under her leadership.

Early in her career she developed a genuine love for hospitality, working in Toronto's restaurant industry before pivoting to tech. That rare combination of business rigour and an instinct for the guest experience would prove essential when she and her husband Grant made their boldest decision yet: selling their city home and replanting their lives on a south-facing slope in Jordan, Ontario.

"I grew up here, but I didn't appreciate the beauty of Twenty Valley until I came back as an adult."

— Carolyn Hurst, Co-Founder, Westcott Vineyards

Today, Westcott Vineyards is recognised as a benchmark for cool-climate winemaking in Canada, with wines featured in Michelin-starred restaurants in the United Kingdom and celebrated at international competitions. Behind every bottle is the disciplined leadership Carolyn brings from her corporate years, and the personal passion of someone who has chosen Niagara as home.

Industry Leadership

Chair, Ontario Craft Wineries: Advocating for a Province

Five Years. 100+ Wineries. One Unflinching Voice.

In 2017, Carolyn was appointed Chair of the Board of Directors at Ontario Craft Wineries (OCW), the non-profit trade association representing more than 100 wineries across the province's three designated viticultural areas: Niagara, Prince Edward County, and Lake Erie North Shore.

Her five-year tenure was defined by advocacy, resilience, and a willingness to speak uncomfortable truths. She became the leading public voice calling attention to Ontario's unfair tax system. At the time, Ontario was the only province in Canada that taxed winemakers on products sold at their own winery gate, and the industry was also battling the economic devastation of COVID-19.

Under her chairmanship, OCW strengthened its regulatory advocacy, expanded sustainable winegrowing programs, and continued to position Ontario VQA wines as world-class products. When she stepped down as Chair, she remained on the board in the newly created role of Governance Chair, continuing to shape the industry she helped protect.

"We are one of the most heavily taxed industries in the country — and one of the most important economic engines in rural Ontario."

— Carolyn Hurst, as reported in Global News

Community & Civic Leadership

Building Niagara Beyond the Cellar Door

Carolyn's commitment to Niagara extends well beyond Westcott's vineyard gates. She has given her time, expertise, and energy to institutions and initiatives that define the region's future.

🎓

Board of Trustees

Brock University · St. Catharines

As a Trustee of Brock University, Carolyn contributed strategic governance to one of Niagara's largest educational institutions, helping guide the university's mission to advance research, student success, and community partnership in the region. Her business background and deep local roots brought a distinctive perspective to the boardroom.

🎓

Board of Governors

Niagara College · Welland

Carolyn served on the Board of Governors of Niagara College, a post-secondary institution widely celebrated for applied learning and industry partnership. Her role placed her at the intersection of workforce development and community growth, a natural extension of her belief that great regions are built by educating and empowering the people who live in them.

🎍

Canada Summer Games Bid & Host Society

2021 Canada Summer Games · Niagara Region

Carolyn was an active member of the bid team that successfully brought the 2021 Canada Summer Games to Niagara, one of the most significant civic achievements in the region's modern history. The Games welcomed approximately 5,000 athletes from all 13 provinces and territories across 17 sports, generating a projected economic benefit exceeding $200 million.

🏟

Permanent Sports Legacy

Niagara Region · Multiple Municipalities

The 2021 Canada Summer Games initiative Carolyn championed resulted in substantial investment in permanent sports infrastructure across Niagara's 12 municipalities, a tangible testament to what determined civic leadership can achieve.

🏛

Board of Directors

Willowbank School of Restoration Arts · Queenston

Carolyn served on the board of Willowbank, one of Canada's most distinctive post-secondary institutions, dedicated to traditional building conservation and heritage restoration. Housed in a National Historic Site in Queenston, Willowbank sits at the heart of Niagara's rich architectural legacy.

🌿

Board of Directors

Vineland Research & Innovation Centre · Vineland

As a board member of the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Carolyn contributed governance to Canada's leading horticultural research institution. Her perspective as a working vineyard owner gave the board a grounded, practical voice at the intersection of science and agriculture.

5,000

Athletes Brought to Niagara Through Carolyn's Bid Leadership

"It was truly a good year."

The 2021 Canada Summer Games were not just a sporting event. They were a proof of concept: Niagara, guided by determined civic leadership, could host the world. Carolyn helped make it happen.

A Life Well Lived

The Westcott Journey

Every great vineyard is also the story of the people who tend it. Carolyn and Grant's journey to Niagara was a leap of faith that became a blueprint for themselves, for their family, and for what's possible when rigour meets passion.

2006

Westcott Vineyards Founded

Carolyn and Grant sell their Toronto home and acquire their first land on the Vinemount Ridge in Jordan, Ontario, committing fully to Niagara wine country.

2008

First Vines in the Ground

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir clones are planted across the Home Farm's 40 acres, establishing the terroir-driven estate that would earn international recognition.

2017

Appointed Chair, Ontario Craft Wineries

Carolyn takes the helm at OCW, beginning a five-year tenure advocating for more than 100 wineries across Ontario.

2017–19

Canada Games Bid Success

As an active bid team member, Carolyn helps secure Niagara's selection as host of the 2021 Canada Summer Games, a win for sport, community, and lasting infrastructure.

2019

Named to 2021 Canada Games Host Society Board

Regional Council unanimously approved Carolyn's appointment to the Host Society Board of Directors, alongside community leaders from across Niagara.

2021

Canada Summer Games · Niagara

5,000 athletes, 17 sports, 5,000 volunteers. A generational moment for the region, with permanent sports facilities as its enduring gift.

2022+

OCW Governance Chair & Continued Growth

Transitioning to OCW Governance Chair, Carolyn continues shaping the future of Ontario wine while Westcott Vineyards earns Platinum awards and expands its acclaimed portfolio.

Co-Founder
Carolyn Hurst

A Career Built on Bold Decisions

Chair, Ontario Craft Wineries: Advocating for a Province

Building Niagara Beyond the Cellar Door

The Westcott Journey

Come Taste What Carolyn and Grant Built

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Co-FounderCarolyn Hurst

A Career Built on Bold Decisions

Chair, Ontario Craft Wineries: Advocating for a Province

Building Niagara Beyond the Cellar Door

The Westcott Journey

Come Taste What Carolyn and Grant Built

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Co-Founder
Carolyn Hurst