Manitoba sells $4.9m worth of US alcohol
Canadian province Manitoba’s sales for US-made alcohol reached CA$6.9 million (US$4.9m) in December, following the decision to make American products available to the public again.
Last month, the Canadian province announced it would bring its American-made booze stockpile back for commercial customers from 8 December, and then to the public two days later across Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) stores.
The inventory – which includes American whiskeys such as Jack Daniel’s, Buffalo Trace and Bulleit – had originally been pulled from shelves in March in response to US tariffs on Canadian exports to the States.
By the end of 31 December, the retail value of roughly CA$6.9m had been sold from MBLL stores, a Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries spokesperson said.
A cost value of CA$5.3m (US$3.82m) worth of US liquor is still left in the province’s warehouses, down from CA$8.75m (US$6.31m) from early December. The figure excludes publicly-owned Liquor Mart stores where American products from the inventory are still on the shelves and available for ordering by commercial customers.
Revenue re-invested in local charities
On 19 December, Manitoba premier Wab Kinew announced the government would donate CA$2.6m (US$1.87m) of revenue from sales of US products to various local charities during the holiday season.
He said: “Manitobans embraced this initiative with their typical generosity of spirit, and folks can feel good knowing their money helped to make this holiday season brighter for families who need it most.
“We know keeping American liquor off the shelves has impacted the fight against president Trump’s tariffs, but we’re glad to see this inventory used to generate a little holiday spirit rather than languish in a warehouse.”
The donation was spread between CA$1m (US$720,735) to Winnipeg Christmas Cheer Board; CA$500,00 (US$360,380) to Harvest Manitoba to support distribution to local food banks; and CA$500,000 to Brandon charities, including the Brandon-Westman Christmas Cheer Registry and its regional partner organisations.
The rest of the funds were distributed to Helping Hands Centre of Brandon, the Boys and Girls Club of Thompson and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.
Kinew noted that proceeds from the sale of US products will continue to be donated to charity.
Fellow Canadian province Nova Scotia is also selling the last of its US$14m inventory and donating net profits to charity.
In other Canada news, Ontario premier Doug Ford is facing pushback from a union over his plan to ban Crown Royal whisky across the province.
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