Diageo plc, the global spirits company behind Crown Royal, has announced it will cease operations at its bottling facility in Amherstburg, Ontario, by February 2026. The facility currently bottles Crown Royal products, but production will be relocated to other sites in Canada, closer to U.S. markets.Approximately 200 Canadians’ jobs will be at risk due to this.“This was a difficult decision, but one that is crucial to improving the efficiency and resiliency of our supply chain network,” Marsha McIntosh, Diageo’s president of North America supply, said in a statement. "All Crown Royal will continue to be the great whisky our consumers know and love, and we are committed to supporting the Amherstburg community during this transition.”American booze is currently banned in Ontario because of the tariff war with the US..The announcement also comes at a time when Ontario has a complex history with alcohol policy tied to trade relations with the United States. Premeir Doug Ford’s “booze ban” was positioned as a dollar-for-dollar retaliation against American tariffs, particularly on Canadian steel and aluminum. While the federal government opted for a more conciliatory approach, Ford’s policy had an immediate impact on Ontario’s alcohol market. Sales of Ontario wine surged by 67%, while overall Canadian-made alcohol sales rose nearly 20% in the months following the ban, according to provincial figures."If there's a deal, another USMCA deal, which I don't think is going to happen for the next few months — but you never know with President Trump, he could pull the carpet out from underneath us in a heartbeat like he has before — or they get rid of their tariffs and then we'll bring the booze back into the LCBO, and if they don't, then they aren't getting any booze on our shelves," Ford said..The company stressed that it will continue to invest in Canada through ongoing production, local operations, and community contributions. Diageo products support more than 9,700 Canadian jobs, including over 3,000 in Ontario, and generate more than CAD$300 million in annual revenue for Canadian restaurants and bars.Diageo also confirmed it will work with Unifor and other community partners to provide support for impacted employees. In the coming weeks, the company plans to engage with the community to identify meaningful ways to assist during the transition.For Canadian consumers and international markets outside the U.S., Crown Royal whisky will continue to be bottled at the Valleyfield, Quebec, facility.
