Nine Canadian premiers agree to direct-to-consumer alcohol sales from out-of-province

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, centre, and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe leave a meeting with Indigenous leaders at the Council of the Federation meeting in Charlottetown on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

CHARLOTTETOWN — Canadian premiers say they have removed a major barrier to interprovincial sales of alcohol.

Under a new deal, nine premiers say they are updating rules to allow more Canadian brewers and distillers to sell alcohol directly to Canadian consumers outside of their home provinces.

This would lift barriers that make it more difficult or costly for manufacturers to sell alcohol outside their home provinces.

Some jurisdictions such as New Brunswick and Manitoba have already reached deals to permit more interprovincial sales of certain types of alcohol.

All the provinces and the Yukon signed a memorandum last year committing to open their borders to direct consumer sales by May 2026.

In a statement, the premiers said that Quebec and Yukon were aiming to sign on to the agreement in the near future, while B.C. said it would allow companies to sell directly to consumers by February 2027.

The push for direct to consumer sales is part of a larger effort to address interprovincial trade barriers across Canada.

The new deal also comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to implement steep tariffs on Canadian beer, wine and spirits.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2026

With files from Jack Farrell in Edmonton.

Eli Ridder, The Canadian Press