Canadian Provinces Have Agreed to Restock US Alcohol, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Says

 

Canada’s premiers have agreed to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s request to put U.S. alcohol back on their store shelves, as part of the trade deal with the United States.

Speaking to reporters on Aug. 20, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham said Carney is “confident” that Washington and Ottawa will reach a trade agreement.

“As part of this agreement, he asked all of the provinces—as a sign of good faith—to put U.S. liquor back on the shelves, and we all agreed,” he said.

Following a series of U.S. tariffs being placed on Canada in 2025, the provinces and territories took steps to limit the purchase or sale of U.S. alcohol products in March.

Alberta and Saskatchewan resumed accepting new U.S. alcohol shipments in June 2025, while various import restrictions and sales bans remained in other provinces and territories.

According to the White House, Canadian imports of U.S. alcoholic products fell by around 81 percent between March 2025 and February 2026 on a year-over-year basis.

Washington has cited the ban on U.S. alcohol as a trade irritant, in addition to Canada’s supply management system for dairy products, and Canadian counter-tariffs on the United States.

Trump had threatened to impose additional 50 percent tariffs on certain Canadian goods beginning Aug. 19, but announced a three-day pause shortly before the deadline, saying the two countries had reached a deal that still required finalization. Canadian officials have said substantial progress has been made but that negotiations remain ongoing

Trump suggested on Aug. 19 that some tariffs on Canadian goods could be reduced “a little bit,” while tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum could be lowered to levels comparable to those imposed by the United States on other countries. He also said that some Canadian tariffs on the United States would be brought “down to zero.”

Premiers Respond

Carney held a virtual meeting with the premiers on Aug. 19 to update them on the trade negotiations and asked the provinces to return U.S. alcohol to store shelves as part of the emerging agreement.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told reporters following the meeting that restocking U.S. alcohol would not be an issue for Alberta or Saskatchewan as “we’ve allowed consumers to make their own choice all along.”

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston also said his province would comply with the request, but said, “whether Nova Scotians, or whether Canadians, will actually buy it when it gets back on the shelves—that’s a whole other discussion.”

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew told reporters on Aug. 20 that he expects the eventual deal with the United States “will not be right for me,” but stressed that “it’s not about me, it’s about Team Canada.” He also urged Canadians to continue buying Canadian alcohol and to “keep browsing” if they encounter American products on store shelves.

Kinew also said the prime minister had essentially told the premiers that Canada would not reach a deal with the United States unless U.S. alcohol was returned to the shelves.

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette had said lifting the ban on U.S. alcohol was “possible” for her province, and depended on how the deal would impact the province’s economy.

B.C. Premier David Eby said in a statement that his province “stands with Team Canada,” and that given the fact that Ottawa had made progress on reducing tariffs, “we are hopeful about the possibility of an agreement.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has not commented on returning U.S. alcohol to shelves since Trump paused his 50 percent tariffs, but said on Aug. 13 that he was open to doing so as part of a deal if it protected Canadian industries from U.S. tariffs.

“If we get a fair deal that will protect our steel sector, our auto sector, our forestry sector, agriculture sector, manufacturing sector, then we’d be more than happy to bring booze back on the shelves earlier,” Ford told reporters.

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters in Washington on Aug. 20 that he had a “long, detailed meeting” with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

“We’re very close. We continue to make progress, and we’re going to stay here and do the work that is necessary until we get to that point,” he said.

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