Ontario Will Lift US Liquor Ban if Trade Deal Is Reached. Trump Says He’s Not Looking to Renew

President Donald Trump speaks June 10 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

American whiskey, bourbon and other U.S.-made alcohol products will remain off store shelves in Ontario until Canada and the United States reach a trade agreement, according to Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

Ford said he has no plans to reverse Ontario’s ban on U.S. alcohol sales while trade tensions between the two countries continue, CTV News reported Tuesday.

“I just want to get this deal done, and I can assure you, once that deal is done, I’m going to be sitting down and bringing all the booze back on shelves in Ontario, and everyone’s going to be kumbaya,” Ford said, according to CTV News.

He added that perhaps Ontarians would celebrate with “a little drink of Kentucky bourbon or something” once an agreement is finalized.

The day after Ford’s comments, uncertainty surrounding the future of North American trade increased.

Speaking Wednesday, President Donald Trump said he is “not looking to renew” the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the free trade pact scheduled for review beginning July 1. “We don’t need anything” from Canada or Mexico, Trump said, suggesting he may allow the agreement to expire despite previously praising the deal as an improvement over the its predecessor, the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Ontario removed thousands of American-made alcohol products from LCBO shelves last year in response to tariffs and trade actions initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The move affected a wide range of American spirits, wines and beers, including Kentucky bourbon brands that had long been sold through the province’s government-run liquor system.

Ford has repeatedly said he is willing to restore those products, but only after a broader trade dispute between the two countries is resolved.

In April, he said he would reverse the policy “in a heartbeat,” but maintained that doing so before a deal is reached would undermine Canada’s position.

Ontario represents one of the largest export markets for many American alcohol producers, making the continued absence of U.S. products from LCBO shelves a notable issue for distillers and suppliers south of the border.

Ford made the comments while visiting Washington for meetings with lawmakers and business leaders.

According to CTV News, he met with U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and several other policymakers during the trip. A planned meeting with U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chair Ross Perot Jr. was canceled because of a scheduling conflict.

Ford also appeared on CNN during the visit, where he emphasized the need for a quick resolution to the trade dispute.

The premier’s remarks suggest that American distillers hoping to regain access to Ontario’s liquor stores may have to wait until a larger trade agreement is reached between the two countries.

Ontario represents one of the largest export markets for many American alcohol producers, making the continued absence of U.S. products from LCBO shelves a significant issue for distillers and suppliers south of the border.

The boycott has also created costs within Ontario itself. Last month, CBS News reported that, according to an associate professor at a university in Ontario, the province may be spending as much as $20 million annually to store unsold American alcohol that was pulled from LCBO shelves after the trade dispute began.

For now, bourbon and other American alcohol products remain sidelined in one of Canada’s largest beverage markets.