Ontario Premier Doug Ford is making good on a stark promise to the multinational spirits giant Diageo: if you close your Ontario plant and eliminate Canadian jobs, your flagship product, Crown Royal whisky, will be banned from provincial liquor stores.
A "Dumb Decision" and a Firm Retaliation
The confrontation stems from Diageo's plan to shutter its Crown Royal blending facility in Amherstburg, Ontario, in February 2026. The closure will result in the loss of approximately 200 jobs, ending a century of whisky production at the Windsor-area site. Premier Ford has labeled the corporate move a "very dumb decision" and confirmed that despite discussions, Diageo is not reversing course.
"The LCBO has talked to them and they are not changing their mind," Ford stated to the Toronto Sun. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is notably Diageo's top customer for Crown Royal. Ford's retaliation is straightforward: he will order Crown Royal removed from all LCBO shelves once the Amherstburg plant closes.
Standing with Workers and Canadian Production
The premier's stance is rooted in protecting domestic manufacturing. He predicts the production is destined for the United States. "It's all going to Alabama. Mark my words," Ford said, accusing Diageo of pulling "the carpet out from underneath us."
For the workers in Amherstburg, the atmosphere is "surreal and somber," according to 25-year employee and Unifor shop steward Doug Benekritis. Despite receiving notice before the holidays, staff continue to report for duty, maintaining a professional operation until the end. Benekritis supports Ford's retaliatory measure, noting he himself won't purchase Crown Royal after February, both on principle and because it may no longer be a true Canadian product.
"Once Canadian water is not involved in the process, it's really not a Canadian whisky," the article notes, referencing the blending process that uses partially finished spirit from Gimli, Manitoba.
Economic Repercussions and a Broader Warning
The financial stakes are high. Ford and industry observers suggest Diageo could lose tens of millions in long-term profits from the Ontario market boycott. The move also sends a warning to other multinational companies with Canadian operations.
Benekritis expressed concern that Diageo's next target could be its facility in Valleyfield, Quebec, once the Ontario "buffer" is gone. Ford first issued his warning in September 2025, dramatically emptying a bottle of Crown Royal at a news conference and declaring, "you hurt my people, I hurt you." Diageo's refusal to back down has now triggered the promised consequence.
The article concludes by suggesting that Diageo may eventually feel the impact of this decision on its global bottom line, a self-inflicted wound for choosing to offshore Canadian jobs.
