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57m ago

Ford Sharpens Threat to Pull Crown Royal From LCBO, Puts Smirnoff on Notice

The premier vows to order Crown Royal off shelves once the Amherstburg plant closes, signaling a pressure campaign over Diageo’s job cuts.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford empties a Crown Royal bottle of whisky at a press conference in Kitchener, Ont., on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. Ford criticized the popular whisky's parent company, Diageo, for its plan to close its bottling plant in Amherstburg in early 2026.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks at a Unifor rally outside the Stellantis plant in Brampton, Ont., on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.

Overview

  • Speaking Monday in Quebec City, Doug Ford said Crown Royal will be removed "as soon as the last person leaves" Diageo’s Amherstburg bottling plant and warned that Smirnoff could follow.
  • Diageo plans to wind down the Amherstburg facility by February 2026 in a supply-chain consolidation that affects roughly 170 to 200 jobs and shifts some work to the United States and Quebec.
  • Ford cited the LCBO’s purchasing clout and a reported $765 million in annual spending on Diageo products, as his government said pulling additional brands remains an option.
  • Diageo said Crown Royal production will continue in Canada and confirmed it will maintain its Canadian headquarters and GTA warehousing along with facilities in Manitoba and Quebec, while working with Unifor and local officials to support employees.
  • Unifor backed Ford’s hard line but urged immediate delisting to increase pressure, and the LCBO has not yet removed any Diageo products as the standoff continues.