Canadians to continue boycotting U.S. liquors despite trade deal

Despite efforts by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to lift the ban on U.S. alcoholic beverages as part of a trade agreement with Washington, nearly three-quarters of Canadians remain committed to boycotting American drinks. A survey released Thursday by Nanos Research reveals that 74% of Canadians are unlikely to purchase U.S. alcohol if it becomes available again, with 69% stating they will not buy it and another 5% indicating they probably will not.

This sentiment shows an increase from late 2025, when the combined figure stood at 70%, suggesting the consumer boycott may continue even if provincial governments decide to remove restrictions. Nanos conducted the poll between July 28 and 30 among 1,104 Canadian adults, reporting a margin of error of three percentage points, 19 out of 20 times.

The survey results emerge a day after Carney urged provincial and territorial leaders to permit the sale of American beverages once more, a key demand from Washington for finalizing a trade deal. Most provinces had removed U.S. wines, beers, and spirits from their public establishments in retaliation for tariffs imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump.

Carney made his request during a meeting with provincial premiers, where he discussed ongoing negotiations with the U.S. He also asked them to remove restrictions on public contracts that prevent American companies from competing. Currently, all provinces and territories except Alberta and Saskatchewan maintain restrictions on U.S. liquors. Ontario and British Columbia, significant alcohol markets, had previously conditioned the lifting of the ban on a substantial reduction of U.S. tariffs on sectors like automobiles, steel, aluminum, and forest products.

Negotiations are set to continue in Washington, with Canadian Minister of Interprovincial Trade Dominic LeBlanc and chief negotiator Janice Charette scheduled to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer later Thursday. Trump announced a preliminary agreement with Canada on Tuesday, delaying the implementation of 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian products until Saturday at 00:01 hours, as both nations work to finalize the pact's details.