Trump’s new tariffs give Ontario and Québec the perfect excuse to sell their unsold American booze

Ontario and Québec are sitting on $97 million in unsold American booze. Trump’s new tariffs are the perfect excuse to sell it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns Trump’s new tariffs give Ontario and Québec the perfect excuse to sell their unsold American booze Published: July 21, 2026 4.39pm EDT Share article Print article U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated his trade war with Canada, announcing 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, from wine and hockey sticks to cement and dairy products. The new rates will take effect in 30 days. The White House claims the increase, imposed under a rarely used provision of the Tariff Act, is in retaliation for Canada’s “discrimination against and unreasonable and unequal treatment of U.S. commerce.” It points specifically to Ontario and Québec restrictions on American alcohol sales. Those provincial restrictions are part of a massive boycott of alcoholic beverages. Eleven provinces and territories have avoided importing U.S. alcohol for the past 16 months. Most cleared out their existing stock last year, though Ontario and Québec still hold about $96 million worth. Trump’s tariff announcement makes this an opportune time for those two provinces to put their existing inventories back on the shelves while maintaining their import bans. That would offer a diplomatic gesture to U.S. officials while saving provincial taxpayers millions of dollars. Canada’s premiers are meeting this week in Prince Edward Island to discuss the country’s biggest challenges. Their discussions will likely include the alcohol standoff. United in theory, divided in practice The booze ban began in February 2025 in response to Trump’s initial tariffs on Canadian goods. All 13 provincial and territorial governments ordered their liquor agencies to stop selling U.S. alcohol and to stop ordering more. The boycott was short-lived in Alberta and Saskatchewan. They both resumed buying and selling American booze in June 2025. The other 11 governments remain united in banning alcohol imports. But they’ve differed in how they’ve handled their existing stock. British Columbia, New Brunswick and Yukon stopped selling U.S. alcohol in government liquor stores but cleared out their stocks via wholesale sales to restaurants and bars. Manitoba, Nunavut and the Atlantic provinces began selling off their inventories last year. Some discounted the prices and donated part of the proceeds to charity. A B.C. Liquor Store employee removes…