A trade dispute between Ontario and Manitoba is putting jobs at risk in Gimli, Manitoba, as of January 30, 2026, after Ontario Premier Doug Ford called for a boycott of Crown Royal whisky. The move follows Diageo’s announcement that it will close its Amherstburg, Ontario, bottling facility — a decision that has provoked a political rift and raised concern that the fallout could harm the Manitoba distillery where Crown Royal is mashed, distilled and aged.
Premier Ford publicly poured out a bottle of Crown Royal in protest of the announced loss of roughly 200 jobs at Diageo’s Amherstburg bottling plant and has threatened to remove the product from LCBO shelves across Ontario. While the corporate decision was made by Diageo’s international leadership, Ford’s boycott targets a brand whose whisky is made at the Gimli distillery.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew recently visited the Gimli plant to show support for about 76–100 workers (represented by UFCW Local 832) and for local farmers who provide roughly 80% of the grain used at the facility. Other critics of the boycott — including Member of Parliament James Bezan — warned the move could prompt retaliatory measures; Bezan urged Ford to reconsider and said Manitoba could respond by pulling Ontario wine from its liquor markets if the boycott proceeds.
MP James Bezan has criticized the boycott as a mistake that will hurt Canadian workers. Reporting from CP24 and other outlets frames the dispute as a breakdown in recent interprovincial cooperation and a challenge to agreements meant to make it easier for provinces to do business together.
While Diageo and the Gimli distillery have not announced any official job cuts at the Manitoba facility, residents and suppliers are worried about losing a major customer: Ontario’s LCBO is one of Diageo’s largest North American clients and a top buyer of Crown Royal. Local coverage notes families and suppliers in Gimli are anxiously awaiting any resolution before the dispute causes lasting damage to the community’s economy.
