Canada has restricted the sale of American spirits and wine as part of retaliatory measures against President Trump’s tariffs. Canadian politicians had threatened to pull American brands from government-run liquor stores, and on Tuesday, those tariffs briefly went into effect. Many restaurants and businesses have stockpiled American products in anticipation of this move.
Business owner Giovanni Cassano, who has two cafes in Windsor, Ontario, said he had stockpiled enough cases of American spirits and wine to transition to Canadian-made products. However, he acknowledged that some classic brands cannot be replaced.
The US has announced a reprieve on most exports to Canada until April 2, but it’s unclear how this will affect the sale of American alcohol in Canada. The move has united Canadians against buying American products, with online forums and grocery aisles seeing a grass-roots movement towards domestic brands.
Canadian provinces have banned over 3,600 American products from sale, with some provinces allowing private liquor sales. Industry experts say that this is an overreaction, which could harm sales. A small share of Canadian sales are made up by American spirits, generating around $965 million in annual revenue.
The move is seen as a betrayal by Canadians, who view the US as their closest ally. The Trump administration has also sparked controversy with comments about annexing Canada.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/world/canada/canada-liquor-boycott-tariffs.html