Alberta halts U.S. liquor sales; domestic producers aim to fill gap

Yesterday, Alberta joined the list of Canadian provinces eliminating U.S. products from liquor store shelves.

Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) has stopped the sale of all American alcohol products, extending Premier Danielle Smith’s initial plan announced Wednesday to stop purchasing new stock.

Retailers say the sudden change is already affecting shelves.

“Overnight, all American products disappeared from the catalog that retailers, restaurants and bars order from,” said Andrew Ferguson, owner of Kensington Wine Market in Calgary.

“Then a memo we saw this morning was that they were going to freeze sales of all American products starting today.”

That means once a U.S. product sells out, it won’t be able to be replaced on store shelves.

While Ferguson said filling the gaps with Canadian or European alternatives won’t be difficult, the uncertainty makes long-term planning challenging.

“It makes it more difficult as a business owner to commit to products that might take three, six, or nine months from the time I request it until the time it actually arrives in my store,” he said.

Speaking to CNN on Thursday, Smith said the decision was meant to support domestic producers.

“If the Americans aren’t going to buy products from our Canadian companies, we have to,” the premier said.

“That means we should be buying more Canadian beer, more Canadian spirits and more Canadian wine. And so that’s the reality of what we’re facing.”

Some Alberta-based distillers say the ban opens up shelf space and opportunity for their products.

“It’s actually good news for us,” said Jacques Tremblay, owner of Bridgeland Distillery in Calgary.

“People will find us more easily on the shelf because it’s a bit less crowded, and hopefully our little ‘Made in Canada’ or ‘Product of Canada’ sticker will stick out.”

Bridgeland Distillery is hoping its signature Taber Corn Berbon—spelled differently for trademark reasons—gains traction.

“We’re one of the few producers in Canada making a bourbon (style whisky),” said Tremblay.

“We’re making it with our own local Taber corn, and that’s an exciting product.”

While local producers stand to benefit from the ban on U.S. imports, Tremblay said interprovincial trade barriers remain a major issue.

Currently, he can only sell his liquor in Alberta, despite interest from businesses in Ontario and Quebec.

“The Ontario market alone is five times the size of Alberta, so simply opening that province up to our liquor would be a huge boost,” he said.

Late Thursday evening, the premier’s press secretary, Sam Blackett, messaged CTV to say more changes could be coming.

“The premier will have more to share regarding Alberta tariff response (Friday),” wrote Blackett.