With Canada and the U.S. trade negotiations coming down to the wire, B.C.’s premier David Eby is holding firm on his stance against selling American booze in the province.
On July 20, U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders to “impose additional 50 per cent tariffs on certain goods of Canada, in response to Canada’s own retaliatory tariffs.”
The main concerns cited were the provinces’ alcohol bans (all but two provinces have them), along with cars and dairy.
“All but two Canadian provinces and territories have halted the purchase, distribution, or retailing of U.S. alcoholic beverages, and have not imposed similar restrictions on other countries,” reads the release from the White House.
Currently, Canada and U.S. officials are negotiating a trade deal. A poll that Abacus conducted between Aug. 7 and 12 that gagued Canadian’s opinions on the trade negotiations found that most don’t want to concede.
“Just 18 per cent favour offering concessions to the United States, such as easing dairy restrictions or ending bans on American alcohol, if doing so gets the tariffs removed,” reads a release from Abacus.
On Friday, Aug. 14, B.C. Premier David Eby addressed the issue of the U.S. alcohol ban to reporters, and he also appears to hold firm.
“I’ve been really clear about our position with respect to the ban on American alcohol, as well as our decision about procurement as a government and prioritizing other trading partners, as well as buying from BCers and Canadians first,” he said.
He then added that “our softwood lumber industry is under direct attack,” and that Canada faces higher tariffs than Russia.
“The U.S., for some inexplicable reason, is putting forest families out of work here, in order to prioritize lumber imports from Europe and Russia. That issue needs to be addressed. And it is our steel issue, it is our auto parts issue.”
“Our position is unchanged,” Eby said. “We wish the federal government the best of luck at the table with this administration. We hope for resolution because it will lower prices for Americans and it will employ Canadians and Americans as a result. And, ultimately, I think that and I hope that is what everybody wants.”
In March 2025, Eby announced that American beer, wine, spirits, and refreshment beverages will be removed from the shelves of BC Liquor stores, saying that Trump can “keep his watery beer.”
Even if Canadians have the opportunity to shop for U.S. booze, many might not take it. A Nanos poll from July surveyed over 1,100 Canadians and asked if they would purchase American alcohol if it were back on store shelves, with 69 per cent responding that it was unlikely.