Ontario Premier Doug Ford Vows 'We Won't Back Down' Amid U.S. Alcohol Tariff Dispute

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has issued a defiant response to a proposed U.S. law that could hold Canada accountable for its alcohol boycotts, declaring, "We won't back down." The proposed legislation, spearheaded by U.S. Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, is named the Combating Attacks on our National Alcoholic Drinks by Allies (CANADA) Act.

Ford asserted on X that U.S. tariffs are jeopardizing the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadian workers, particularly in Ontario. He emphasized that the "fastest and only way" to reinstate U.S. alcohol on Ontario's shelves is for the U.S. to withdraw its "illegal tariffs" on Canada. The proposed CANADA Act, if enacted, would direct the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate Canadian provincial liquor board restrictions on U.S. products within 30 days, citing Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act.

“

We won’t back down. The fastest and only way to get U.S. alcohol back on Ontario shelves is for the U.S. to drop its illegal tariffs on Canada.

According to a press release, nearly all of Canada's provincial liquor boards have restricted or prohibited the importation and distribution of American alcoholic beverages, negatively impacting U.S. producers and limiting their market access. These Canadian restrictions on U.S. alcohol imports were implemented by eight provincial governments in retaliation for tariffs imposed by the Trump administration last year.

“

Nearly all of Canada’s provincial liquor boards have prohibited or restricted the importation and distribution of American alcoholic beverages, harming U.S. producers and limiting their access to an important export market.

As a consequence of these retaliatory measures, American alcohol was officially removed from Ontario liquor store shelves on March 4, 2025. Prior to this ban, Ontario imported approximately $965 million worth of alcoholic beverages from the U.S. The government estimates that around $2 million worth of these U.S. products have either expired or will expire in the coming months, primarily consisting of beer, ready-to-drink beverages, and wine.

Ford previously indicated in June that American alcohol would return to Ontario shelves once the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is renewed. Speaking to reporters on June 9 in Washington, D.C., he expressed his desire to finalize the deal, stating, "And I can assure you once that deal’s done, I’m going to be sitting down and bringing all the booze back on shelves in Ontario, and everyone’s gonna be kumbaya. It’s going to be good." California Congress members have also recently urged Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette to allow American wine back onto provincial shelves, highlighting the negative consequences for consumers, businesses, and producers who had no control over national policies.

“

And I can assure you once that deal’s done, I’m going to be sitting down and bringing all the booze back on shelves in Ontario, and everyone’s gonna be kumbaya. It’s going to be good.