Ontario Has Spent $8 Million Storing Unsold American Alcohol Since Boycott Began

A sign outside an LCBO location explains that the province of Ontario bans the sale of American-made alcohol and liquor in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs amid the Canada-America trade war in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on April 17, 2025. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via AP)

More than a year after Ontario removed nearly $80 million worth of American beer, wine and spirits from Liquor Control Board of Ontario shelves in response to U.S. tariffs, the province has spent about $8 million storing the inventory while remaining undecided about what to do with it.

According to LCBO records reported by CBC, approximately 97% of the alcohol remains within its normal shelf life despite spending 16 months in storage. About $2.6 million worth of products — roughly 3.3% of the original inventory — has expired.

The American alcohol was pulled from more than 660 LCBO stores in March 2025 after Ontario Premier Doug Ford ordered the boycott in response to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Canadian goods.

While several Canadian provinces have since returned at least some U.S. alcohol to store shelves, Ontario continues to warehouse nearly the entire stockpile.

An LCBO spokesperson told CBC the agency is continuing to work with the provincial government on a long-term solution.

“The majority of the product, roughly 97 per cent, remains in good condition and within its normal shelf life,” spokesperson Sebastian Skamski said. “LCBO will continue to store these products in accordance with our standards and monitor their expiration, working with the provincial government to review the best course of action.”

The newly released records provide the clearest picture yet of the inventory’s condition, but they still do not reveal the government’s plans. Portions of documents discussing possible next steps remain redacted because the LCBO says they contain advice to the provincial government.
The records also show officials moved quickly after the boycott began to identify products most at risk of expiring. An early estimate suggested nearly $2.9 million worth of inventory could spoil within six months, though that figure later fell to about $2 million after further review.

Import Vintners and Spirits Association Executive Director Stacy Kyle described the effort as “absolutely chaos,” per CBC, noting that beverage alcohol warehouses are designed around predictable inventory movement, not the sudden return of millions of dollars’ worth of products.

Earlier this year, an associate professor at Brock University in Ontario estimated the annual storage cost could be $20 million.

Ontario’s approach now differs from most other provinces. Quebec, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador have all returned at least some American alcohol to stores, in some cases directing proceeds to charitable causes.

Experts say the quality of the stored inventory will largely depend on how it has been kept.

Jennifer Kelly, a senior scientist in oenology at Brock University, told CBC that stable storage temperatures are the key factor in preserving wine and spirits. If Ontario eventually decides to sell the products, she said they would likely need to undergo quality testing before returning to store shelves.

The fate of the remaining inventory remains unclear as Ontario continues to review its options while negotiations between Canada and the United States over tariffs continue.

Last week, a New York Republican congresswoman, Claudia Tenney, proposed an investigation into Canadian provinces’ boycott of American alcohol. Ford responded on social media, saying, “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.”