The Diageo bottling facility in Amherstburg, Ontario, is scheduled to close by Feb. 28, 2026, a move that will affect or has affected roughly 207 local workers. The plant, at 110 St. Arnaud St., has long roots in the community, and has bottled Crown Royal since 1971. Diageo says it is shifting some Crown Royal bottling to its U.S. operations — including its Plainfield, Illinois, site — and to other facilities such as Valleyfield, Quebec, to be closer to many U.S. customers.
The shutdown affects more than 160 full‑time unionized members represented by Unifor Local 200 and roughly 40 temporary or part‑time staff. Unifor Local 200 and Diageo say a closure agreement ratified in December 2025 provides increased severance and transition supports. Under the agreement, severance is roughly two weeks’ pay per year of service, and Diageo is providing a transition fund and extended benefits and funding for an action centre to help workers with job‑search and retraining. Fewer than 100 employees remain on site in February to finish inventory and begin decommissioning work.
The Town of Amherstburg is seeking new tenants for the property to replace lost economic activity. Mayor Michael Prue has asked the provincial government for retraining funds and other incentives to help displaced workers and to make the site attractive to a new manufacturer. Town leaders have said they would like to see a new employer move into the site — potentially in advanced manufacturing, green energy or electric‑vehicle supply chains — so the facility does not sit idle.
Premier Doug Ford publicly criticized Diageo’s decision and has threatened to remove Diageo products (including Crown Royal) from LCBO shelves in protest. Diageo has listed the 110 St. Arnaud St. property for sale as a redevelopment opportunity and says the decision to close the Amherstburg bottling plant was made to ‘improve the efficiency and resiliency’ of its North American supply chain (a rationale attributed to Marsha McIntosh‑Hamilton, President of North America Supply at Diageo North America).
