In Ontario, the Liberal party is urging the Doug Ford government to offload the province’s supply of American alcohol currently stored. Liberal parliamentary Leader John Fraser suggests directing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to sell the alcohol and allocate the proceeds to charitable organizations. This move comes after Ford removed American alcohol from LCBO shelves back in March in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Canadian goods.
Approximately $80 million worth of American alcohol is being held in storage in Ontario, with around $2 million worth at risk of expiration within the next six months. Emily Hogeveen, a spokesperson for Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, mentioned that the province is exploring various options for handling these products, while confirming that U.S. alcohol will continue to be kept off shelves until further notice.
While most provinces have prohibited the sale of American alcohol, some have taken different approaches. Alberta and Saskatchewan initially halted U.S. alcohol sales but later reversed their decisions. On the other hand, P.E.I. announced plans to reintroduce American alcohol to its liquor store shelves and donate the expected $600,000 profit to food banks.
In a similar move, Newfoundland and Labrador disclosed intentions to sell off its $3.2 million inventory and donate the projected $1 million profits to the Community Food Sharing Association, which supports various food banks across the province. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia has already commenced the sale of its $14 million alcohol stockpile, with anticipated proceeds of approximately $4 million going towards charity.
Furthermore, Manitoba recently initiated the sale of some of its U.S. alcohol for a limited time. Despite an initial estimation of $1 million in sales, the demand surged rapidly, with private retailers, restaurants, lounges, and businesses purchasing nearly double that amount within the first few hours before the general public sales began.