What to know<\/p>\n
Ontario Liberals want the Ford government to sell the U.S. liquor in storage and donate the profits to food banks.<\/p>\n
Critics argue Ontario is wasting taxpayer money on keeping U.S. liquor in storage and should sell the inventory like other provinces.<\/p>\n
Provinces including Manitoba, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland & Labrador are already selling their U.S. liquor stock and donating proceeds to charity.<\/p>\n
Ontario Liberals are calling on the Ford government to sell its inventory of U.S. liquor in storage and donate the proceeds to charities.<\/p>\n
Across Ontario, there is $80-million worth of American liquor sitting in storage ever since they were pulled from LCBO shelves earlier this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all agreed when we pulled American liquor off the shelves, it was the right thing to do. It sent a message. It felt good,\u201d Ottawa South Liberal MPP John Fraser said in his address to the legislative assembly Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther provinces are stepping up to help their local food banks by selling off the U.S. alcohol,\u201d Don Valley West Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman said at Queen\u2019s Park. \u201cWill [Ford] pour all that U.S. booze down the drain or let the LCBO sell it to feed families?\u201d<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s use our existing inventory of U.S. liquor for something good.<\/p>\n
Instead of letting it collect dust in a warehouse, let\u2019s sell it and donate the profits to food banks.<\/p>\n
This would help a lot of people in time for the holidays.<\/p>\n
What do you say, @fordnation<\/a>?#onpoli<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/acAd0dm4hW<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ontario Liberal Party | Parti Lib\u00e9ral de l’Ontario (@OntLiberal) December 10, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n The call comes at a time when visits to food banks in the province are at a record-high, according to a report by Feed Ontario<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Ford: \u2018I will speak to the LCBO\u2019<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated the reasoning behind his government\u2019s decision to keep American alcohol off LCBO shelves, although he told reported he will speak with the liquor control board to hear their thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cUntil Donald Trump gets back and starts signing deals, stops going back to our manufacturers, our companies, communities and families, we need to hit back at that. Simple,\u201d Ford told reporters at Queen\u2019s Park Wednesday.<\/p>\n In a statement, Ontario\u2019s Ministry of Finance tells Now Toronto, \u201cU.S. alcohol will remain off shelves and is being held in storage until further notice. We are currently reviewing the best course of action for the products.\u201d<\/p>\n We also reached out to LCBO but did not hear back by deadline.<\/p>\n Canadians react to U.S. liquor being made available<\/p>\n The recent announcements by provinces to re-stock liquor store shelves with U.S. alcohol has been met with great interest from consumers, with lines outside Manitoba Liquor Marts and Newfoundland and Labrador suspending all online orders due to high demand for U.S. products.<\/p>\n Some Canadian provinces that pulled all US alcohol from shelves due to Trump\u2019s tariffs, are starting to put it back in stores.<\/p>\n Sales will raise money for local charities this holiday season. Such a Canadian thing to do! \u2764\ufe0f\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6https:\/\/t.co\/V6ba16canc<\/a>#AmericansinCanada<\/a> #DemsAbroad<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dhSccEtzAH<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Democrats Abroad Canada \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 (@DemsAbroadCan) December 10, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cMr Doug SELL the American alcohol and take proceeds to food banks and families with children. Clear and simple, no need to sit on it. Time is running out,\u201d one X user wrote to Ontario\u2019s premier.<\/p>\n \u201cThe province spent tax $ buying U.S. booze inventory then symbolically took it off the shelves,\u201d one X user wrote. \u201cTime for @fordnation to put the American inventory already paid for, back ont the shelves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThese are taxpayer funded liquor stores and $ shouldn\u2019t be going to charities,\u201d another X user echoed.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Ontario Director of Canadian Taxpayers Federation Noah Jarvis says the revenue from the LCBO is negligible in the grand scheme of things.<\/p>\n \u201cOntario government this year is bringing in about $223 billion. If we\u2019re comparing that to what the LCBO bring in, LCBO is really only contributing to 0.8 per cent of the total provincial government\u2019s revenue,\u201d Jarvis tells Now Toronto on Thursday.<\/p>\n Jarvis says the Ford government should just sell the alcohol to avoid spending more taxpayer dollars.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to also consider the cost or storage. Taxpayers are going to be bearing those storage costs,\u201d Jarvis says in reference to the $80-million worth of U.S. alcohol.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how other provinces have tackled the U.S. alcohol conundrum.<\/p>\n British Columbia<\/p>\n When B.C. pulled all U.S. alcohol from provincially-run liquor stores, it allowed wholesalers to continue to resell inventory already in the province.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alberta & Saskatchewan<\/p>\n Alberta resumed selling U.S. liquor in March and purchasing them in June. Saskatchewan also resumed purchasing and distributing American-made alcohol in June.<\/p>\n Manitoba<\/p>\n We took U.S. liquor off the shelves to stand up for \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 in the face of Trump\u2019s tariffs. Thanks to the listeners of the Ace Burpee Show for bringing this\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/SGI7ElPgkj<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Wab Kinew (@WabKinew) December 4, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Manitoba pledged it will donate up to $500,000 from the sale of certain U.S. products<\/a> at select liquor stores. The province says it will not be reordering or restocking U.S. products once it sells out.<\/p>\n Quebec<\/p>\n Quebec also made all U.S. products unavailable in March. Five months later, the province\u2019s alcohol control board announced it will donate American products nearing their expiry date<\/a> to organizations around the province. The total value was reportedly around $300,000.<\/p>\n New Brunswick<\/p>\n The province\u2019s liquor corporation removed U.S. products from its shelves and suspended the purchase of any new American products in March. In October, the province began selling its existing inventory of U.S. products<\/a> saying it will \u201cfree up warehouse space while also providing customers with an opportunity to stock up on their favourite U.S. products\u201d.<\/p>\n Prince Edward Island<\/p>\n P.E.I announced it will put its existing inventory of U.S. liquor back onto shelves, with the net profit to be donated to food banks across the province<\/a>. The provincial government anticipates the net profit to be approximately $600,000 and says it will be donated over the coming months after \u201csales have been finalized and expenses calculated.\u201d It says it will not be re-ordering American products.<\/p>\n Nova Scotia<\/p>\n Last month, the government of Nova Scotia announced it will sell its remaining alcohol from the U.S<\/a>. The net profit going to Feed Nova Scotia and other community food organizations. The province\u2019s $14-million worth of inventory was made available at liquor stores across the province on Dec. 1, with an estimated $4-million expected to be donated.<\/p>\n Newfoundland and Labrador<\/p>\n The province announced this week its liquor board will sell off its inventory of U.S. products. It says it will donate the net profit to the Community Food Sharing Association<\/a>. It pledged an immediate donation of $500,000 and estimated the total donation would be up to $1-million.<\/p>\n Yukon<\/p>\n In March, Yukon directed its liquor board to stop purchasing U.S.-made alcohol and to remove American products from all province-run liquor stores.<\/p>\n Northwest Territories<\/p>\n In March, the province directed the NWT Liquor and Cannabis Commission to cease all procurement of American products. NNSL<\/a> reports that certain stores were able to sell inventory purchased before the province\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n Nunavut<\/p>\n In March the Nunavut Liquor and Cannabis Commission halted the sale of alcohol products made in the U.S.<\/p>\n
Now, because you\u2019ve asked for it, we\u2019re going to sell it between now and Christmas Eve and give the net proceeds to charity.<\/p>\n