There’s still no signed trade deal, but the LCBO is getting ready to put U.S. booze back on the shelves.
Several alcohol industry sources told the Star that the LCBO is preparing to restock American products as soon as Saturday, in case a trade deal with the U.S. is finalized and they’re told to restock by the Ontario government.
The LCBO didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but sources familiar with the preparations described usually-full storage areas at stores being “cleared out” to make room for delivery of U.S. products.
As of Friday afternoon, some stores already had American products in their storerooms.
“They want to be able to move quickly if there’s a deal,” one source said.
The sources asked not to be named because they didn’t want to upset the LCBO, the sole wholesale buyer of American alcohol products in Ontario.
American-made products including bourbon, California wine, and other popular spirits, were pulled from LCBO shelves on orders from Premier Doug Ford on March 4, 2025, in retaliation for hefty tariffs on Canadian goods levied by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, a poll found that four out of five Canadians back the prohibition of U.S. alcohol sales in retaliation for Trump’s tariffs.
The Pollara Strategic Insights survey also found 42 per cent of respondents would boycott U.S. wine and spirits if they are returned to provincial liquor store shelves.
Canadian and U.S. negotiators are still in talks trying to reach a deal before Trump’s latest 50 per cent tariff on a wide variety of Canadian goods is scheduled to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. The tariff had initially been set to go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, but the deadline was extended after Trump announced a tentative agreement.
More to come …
