Ford Government Holds Off on Removing Crown Royal From LCBO Shelves
Toronto, ON — Despite Premier Doug Ford’s dramatic protest over the closure of an Ontario whisky plant, the provincial government will not immediately remove Crown Royal from LCBO stores.
The controversy began Tuesday when Ford ended a press conference by pouring out a bottle of Crown Royal, in response to Diageo’s announcement that it would be shutting its Amherstburg, Ont., plant.
“They’re hurting the people that work at Crown Royal,” Ford said. “A message to the CEO in France: You hurt my people. You’re going to feel the pain in February when these workers don’t have a paycheque.”
While the gesture captured widespread attention, the Ministry of Finance confirmed no immediate policy action would be taken. A spokesperson told reporters that all options are under review, but any decision about removing Crown Royal from LCBO shelves will be delayed until the plant officially closes in February.
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Political Reactions and Criticism
Opposition politicians called Ford’s actions a publicity stunt rather than a substantive policy response.
Ontario Liberal MPP John Fraser commented,
“Pouring out that bottle suggests a boycott, but it feels more like a performance. We need a disciplined approach to encourage companies to stay in Ontario rather than making symbolic gestures.”
Meanwhile, Ontario NDP MPP Lisa Gretzky urged the government to use every available tool to keep the plant open, including potentially removing Crown Royal from LCBO shelves.
Diageo stated the plant closure was unrelated to tariffs and part of broader operational consolidations across the U.S., Italy, and Scotland. Ford said he attempted to offer incentives to keep the facility open but was unsuccessful.
“I asked if there were any incentives I could offer to save these jobs. The answer was no,” Ford said, before pouring out the whisky in front of a Protect Ontario sign.
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Looking Ahead
For now, Crown Royal remains available at Ontario’s liquor stores, but the province has left open the possibility of revisiting the issue in the coming months. The situation underscores growing tensions between the provincial government and multinational corporations operating in Ontario.
