It’s not just “bye bye, Ms. American Pie” — prepare to say farewell to American liquor too.
Recommended Videos
The B.C. government is removing all American-made alcoholic beverages from its store shelves immediately, in the tariff war started by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Today, we are ordering the removal of all American beer, wine, spirits and refreshment beverages from the shelves at B.C. Liquor stores. The stores carry hundreds of types of U.S. alcohol that the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch will also no longer be purchasing,” B.C. Premier David Eby said Monday.
“We are taking this action in response to escalating threats from south of the border. Most recently, U.S. President Donald Trump made new threats against Canada’s dairy and lumber industries — and there are reports he has been musing about redrawing the border.”
Eby made the announcement Monday morning, just days after other provinces also halted halting the sales and import of American liquor.
B.C. had previously pulled alcoholic beverages from Republican states from its store shelves.
“Last week, we took ‘red state’ liquor off our shelves in a targeted move. In the face of ongoing threats, including to Canada’s dairy and lumber industries, we are expanding the list of targeted American products,” he said.
“We have heard the voices of people in British Columbia who are justifiably upset by American threats — and want to see us take this step.”
When asked why he didn’t pull all American liquor to begin with, as other provinces have done, Eby said the initial intent was to “send a message to Republicans to pressure the Republican president.”
“And it worked. We saw the head of Jack Daniels say that what we were doing was worse than a tariff,” he said.
He also alluded to a reluctance to threaten jobs in Democrat states like Oregon and Washington, which have long been partners with B.C. on various matters.
According to the most recent B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch sales figures from the third quarter of the 2024-25 fiscal year, American beer sales in B.C. totalled $253,749 from October to December 2024, a 58 per cent drop compared to the same period in 2023, when sales were $600,338.
American whiskey, meanwhile, accounted for just under five per cent all whiskey and whisky sales during the third quarter ($3.9 million out of $84.2 million), while American wine accounted for 13 per cent of all wine sales ($40.5 million out of $307.6 million.)
The Branch has announced a marketing push to highlight Canadian products in stores, with red Maple Leaf shelf tags being added to displays, identifying local and Canadian products to shoppers.
Following Eby’s comments Monday, the Branch confirmed it would halt the import and sales of all U.S.-made liquor products — not just those from red states — and immediately remove them from store shelves.
However, U.S.-made products would continue to be available for wholesale purchase by private liquor stores, restaurants, bars and pubs “until existing inventory in British Columbia sells through.”
B.C.-produced wines using imported ingredients are not included in the boycott. Many of those products are from B.C. wine producers who were forced to pivot to using imported grapes after a harsh winter freeze destroyed much of their crops, and can be identified in stores through the “Crafted in B.C.” label.
“Following a deep freeze that devastated grape crops in the Okanagan wine region, the B.C. government made temporary policy adjustments to allow B.C. wineries to produce a replacement 2024 vintage using non-B. C. grapes and grape juice,” according to a statement from the Branch.
“Buying ‘Crafted in B.C.’ wine supports B.C. wine makers who were impacted by the 2024 deep freeze event.”