Overview

• Doug Ford reiterated Monday that Ontario will remove Crown Royal from LCBO shelves and warned Smirnoff may be targeted next if Diageo closes its Amherstburg facility.
• The Amherstburg bottling plant employs roughly 170 to 200 workers and is slated to close in February 2026, with Ford saying delisting would occur when the last worker leaves.
• Ford cites the LCBO’s heft, including roughly $765 million in annual purchases of Diageo products, as leverage in the dispute.
• The government has not ordered any delisting to date, with the premier’s office saying all options remain on the table unless Diageo reverses the closure.
• Diageo defends the move as supply‑chain consolidation, says Crown Royal will continue to be mashed, distilled and aged in Canada, and pledges support for workers, while Unifor urges immediate removal of Diageo brands to force negotiations.