Ontario Premier Doug Ford has warned that Crown Royal whisky could be pulled from the shelves of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) if drinks giant Diageo goes ahead with its plan to close a bottling facility in Amherstburg.Speaking at a union rally on Saturday, Ford told workers he would push the LCBO to remove Crown Royal if the closure proceeds. “Those bottles of Crown Royal are coming off the LCBO shelves,” he said. “When the last person walks out through that door, we’re going to make sure LCBO takes off their brands because we need to stick together.” .Two days later, Ford extended the warning to Diageo’s Smirnoff brand, suggesting it too could face removal if the company does not reverse its decision.He also criticized the move, questioning why Diageo would “go after their largest customer in North America.”During a media availability on Tuesday, Ford said three companies had already expressed interest in acquiring the Amherstburg facility and retaining its workers, although he did not disclose which companies those were..Diageo, the London-based company behind Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Baileys, Smirnoff, and Captain Morgan, announced in August that the Amherstburg site will close in February 2026 as part of a restructuring of its North American supply chain.The closure will affect about 200 workers represented by Unifor Local 200, which has a meeting scheduled with the company in November.Although Crown Royal is a familiar presence on LCBO shelves, the whisky itself has long been produced outside of Ontario..Since its launch in 1939, it has been mashed, distilled, and aged at Diageo’s facility in Gimli, Manitoba. Bottling for the Canadian market takes place in Valleyfield, Quebec, while exports to the United States and beyond will shift to Montgomery, Alabama, once the Amherstburg site closes. The Ontario plant has until now been a key part of that export process.Ford has been outspoken in his opposition since the closure was announced. In early September, he poured out a bottle of Crown Royal at a press event to demonstrate his frustration.At the October rally, he said Diageo’s effort to save an estimated $8 million in wages was insignificant compared to the more than US$765 million in sales the LCBO generates annually.The premier maintains that he wants to see the Amherstburg facility remain open and has said he will continue pressuring Diageo to change course.
