Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew welcomed a deal on February 13, 2026, between the Ontario government and the parent company of Crown Royal which will protect local jobs in Gimli, Manitoba. The agreement ends a dispute that began when Ontario threatened to stop selling the whisky in its government-run liquor stores.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford cancelled the plan to stop sales after the parent company, Diageo, agreed to a $23 million investment package for packaging and agricultural projects in Ontario. This decision ensures the whisky remains on shelves in Canada’s largest market, supporting the production cycle in Manitoba.
The Gimli distillery is the only site in the world that produces this brand and is one of the largest employers in the Interlake region. The facility uses a local underground water source and buys thousands of bushels of grain from Manitoba farmers every day.
Local workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers and local business owners were at risk of major disruptions if the boycott had continued. Leaders say the resolution provides stability for the roughly 76 direct employees at the plant and hundreds of others in the supply chain.
The Manitoba government also noted that the plant is moving forward with a separate $19 million clean energy project. This upgrade will replace the distillery’s natural gas boilers with a new electric system to reduce emissions.
