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7h ago

Ford Keeps U.S. Alcohol Off Ontario Shelves Despite Ottawa Easing Tariffs

Provincial liquor boards control stocking decisions, giving premiers leverage that blunts the impact of Ottawa’s tariff rollback.

Non-American whiskeys on display at a Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), the government-run liquor stores where most wine and spirits in the province are purchased, Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Toronto.
A sign is posted on a wine shelves at an LCBO, the government-run liquor stores where most wine and spirits in the province are purchased, Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Jill Colvin)
File photo. The interior of an LCBO outlet is shown in Toronto on July 15, 2024.

Overview

  • Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced that Canada will lift retaliatory tariffs on USMCA-covered U.S. alcohol imports effective September 1.
  • Premier Doug Ford said Ontario’s moratorium will remain until U.S. tariffs are removed or a new trade deal is signed, noting Ontario wine sales have risen about 67 percent.
  • U.S. alcoholic products remain off shelves in multiple jurisdictions, including Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Atlantic Canada and the northern territories.
  • The Distilled Spirits Council welcomed the federal move but urged provinces to restock, reporting a roughly 65–66 percent drop in U.S. spirits sales to Canada and noting some distilleries halted shipments.
  • Quebec instructed its liquor board to donate expiring U.S. stock rather than discard it, while Ontario said only a small share of American inventory has reached expiry.