Overview

• Ontario Premier Doug Ford escalated his response to Diageo’s plan to close its Amherstburg, Ontario, bottling plant, saying the company will "pay dearly."
• Ford has floated removing Crown Royal from LCBO shelves and hinted the move could extend to other Diageo brands, though no orders have been issued.
• The premier’s office said it is too soon to direct the LCBO and that every option remains on the table if the closure proceeds in February 2026.
• Diageo reaffirmed that the shutdown is final and framed it as part of a broader supply-chain consolidation, rejecting claims that U.S. tariffs drove the decision.
• Unifor and local workers condemned the loss of about 200 jobs, while some political critics questioned whether Ford’s threats could deter investment.