Distilleries to bear brunt of U.S. ban on Canadian booze: experts

And the solution is not going to be as easy as moving production to south of the border because legal agreements restrict distilleries from making Canadian whisky in the U.S., for instance, Bricker says.

Canada’s retaliatory duties earlier this week prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to ban most imports of Canadian alcohol, among a long list of other items, starting Sept. 29.

Andrew Oland, chief executive of Moosehead Breweries, said he wasn’t surprised but still “very disappointed” to see alcohol further dragged into the latest trade escalation.

Oland, who heads the Saint John, N.B.-based brewery, said 15 per cent of its beverages get shipped to the U.S., which are already facing steep duties after trade negotiations between the two countries fell apart last month.

The brewery is currently absorbing the cost of 50 per cent tariffs and focusing on shipping as much beer as possible over the next three weeks to preserve its shelf space and relationship with U.S. retailers.

The wine industry isn’t bracing for as grim a future as its alcohol peers, says Norman Beal, board chair of Ontario Craft Wineries, which represents more than 110 wineries in the province.

He says only about one per cent of all wine sales come from the U.S.

“Canadian wine producers, we’re relatively small,” Beal said. “Most of our products are sold right here in Canada.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2026.

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Distilleries to bear brunt of U.S. ban on Canadian booze: experts

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