9 premiers agree to lift interprovincial trade barriers on alcohol products

The premiers of nine provinces announced Tuesday that they’re removing major barriers to interprovincial sales of alcohol.

The deal says provincial rules will be changed to allow brewers and distillers to sell alcohol directly to consumers, regardless of jurisdiction.

It knocks down a number of trade barriers across the country.

Direct-to-consumer sales of beer, wine and spirits manufactured in one province and shipped to another have been largely governed by agreements between provinces or were effectively prohibited.

All 10 provinces and the Yukon signed a memorandum in June 2025 committing to open their boundaries to direct-to-consumer sales by May.

New Brunswick and Manitoba opened to out-of-province products before Tuesday’s announcement.

The premiers of Quebec, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut didn’t sign the deal. However, a statement released by those who did sign said Quebec and the Yukon were working to join in the near future.

The statement said the new trade system is effective immediately but notes British Columbia needs extra time to get its regulations in place and it’s aiming for no later than February 2027.

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said she’s thrilled to see other provinces allow all direct-to-consumer sales, noting her government was the first to do so last August.

“Canadians can get the benefits of these products, strengthening internal trade — being our own best customer at a time when it really matters,” Holt told reporters in Charlottetown, where the premiers are meeting this week.

N.W.T. and Nunavut said in a joint statement that they support the goal of knocking down trade barriers but didn’t sign Tuesday’s deal because “of the unique realities of our territories.”

“Many of our communities have locally determined alcohol restrictions or prohibitions that reflect community priorities and cultural values,” the statement said.

“Respecting community self-determination is fundamental to how alcohol is managed in the North.

“We believe any changes to alcohol distribution must be consistent with those locally established systems and the choices made by communities.”

The agreement comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced this week a plan to implement steep tariffs on Canadian beer, wine and spirits.

The push for direct-to-consumer sales is part of a larger effort to address interprovincial trade barriers.

“Provinces and territories remain committed to working with each other and the federal government to maintain momentum in removing barriers to build a more resilient and streamlined economy and to unlock Canada’s full economic potential,” said the statement from the premiers who signed the deal.

— With files from Jack Farrell in Edmonton