The Liquor Control Board of Ontario has launched a new campaign encouraging consumers to buy Ontario-made spirits, wine and beer amid an ongoing trade disputes with the United States. The campaign, dubbed “We’re All In on Ontario,” was announced by the LCBO in a statement Friday morning. Officials say LCBO stores across the province will place 4,600 Ontario-made beverages “front and centre” through expanded front-of-store placement and high-visibility displays, new in-store tasting opportunities and enhanced “Buy Ontario” branding, according to the release. Staff will also be asked to highlight their top Ontario picks and provide expanded tasting opportunities while customers shop. Over the past year, 291 new Ontario VQA wines and 338 new Ontario craft beers were added to store shelves, the release reads. The campaign comes amid an ongoing trade war with the United States that has affected Canadian spirits exports, with products shipped south of the border currently subject to 50 per cent tariffs. On Sept. 8, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders that the LCBO says effectively ban the import of a number of Canadian products, including alcoholic beverages. The move came hours after Ottawa placed counter-tariffs on roughly 700 American products. The restrictions, set under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, also cover dairy and agricultural products and motor vehicle equipment. They are set to take effect Sept. 29. In a previous release, the LCBO said Ontario-made spirit sales increased by more than $500 million between April 1, 2025, and June 2026. Ontario wine sales also grew by 44 per cent over the same period. “‘We’re All In on Ontario’ is about giving local alcohol producers more opportunities to connect with customers and making it simple for people to choose products that support jobs in their own communities,” said Aaron Campbell, interim president and CEO of the LCBO.
