Ford offers Diageo an 'olive branch' to keep Crown Royal on LCBO shelves
Doug Ford told Diageo to present a plan to replace roughly 160 Amherstburg jobs to avoid Crown Royal being pulled from the LCBO. The company has not committed to a proposal.
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By Torontoer Staff
Premier Doug Ford said he will spare Crown Royal from a potential ban at the LCBO if Diageo presents a credible plan to replace about 160 jobs lost when its Amherstburg bottling plant closed. Ford framed the offer as an "olive branch," repeating that the government is open to negotiations if the company can show job-replacement measures on paper.
The announcement follows a weeks-long dispute between the provincial government and the international spirits firm after Diageo confirmed the Ontario facility would cease operations and some production would move to the United States.
What Ford is asking for
Ford said he wants Diageo to commit to replacing the Amherstburg positions through manufacturing work tied to the brand, such as making bottles or cartons, or by increasing other Ontario-based activity like advertising. He repeated his demand that any offer be shown in writing before the province will back away from its threat to remove Crown Royal from LCBO shelves.
If Diageo comes and says, I’m going to replace these 200 workers by manufacturing bottles, doing their cartons, doing other things, more advertising, so on, so forth, and they can show me on paper. Then, we’ll sit down, and I’ll be open.
Doug Ford
Ford has alternated between hardline rhetoric and offers of flexibility. In early January he told consumers to "stock up" and said he was "100 per cent" certain about pulling the brand. On Monday he said he was "flexible," and on Wednesday he again signalled a willingness to negotiate if Diageo delivers concrete commitments.
Where the jobs stand
Diageo and its local union reached a closure agreement in early December 2025 that included enhanced exit benefits for workers. The Amherstburg site, at 110 St. Arnaud St., was listed for sale soon after. Unifor Local 200, which represented front-line employees, said about one third of affected workers have already found new positions at nearby Stellantis or in trades-related roles linked to the union.
Reports and statements have varied on the precise number of positions. Ford has at times cited roughly 200 jobs, while other accounts place the figure near 160. The uncertainty over exact numbers has complicated the public debate over appropriate provincial response.
Diageo’s response and national footprint
Diageo told media it will maintain a "significant footprint" in Canada, including Canadian headquarters and warehousing in the Greater Toronto Area, along with distilling and bottling operations in Manitoba and Quebec. The company said it directly employs more than 500 people across Canada, including more than 100 in Ontario outside the Amherstburg site.
Diageo directly employs more than 500 people across Canada, including more than 100 in Ontario (outside of those currently working at the Amherstburg site).
Diageo spokesperson
Diageo did not say whether it plans to present the government with a job replacement strategy, leaving open the possibility of further escalation. Ford has asserted he believes the company could eventually close other Canadian plants, which underpinned his earlier threats to use the LCBO as leverage.
Political fallout and consumer impact
Ford’s threat to remove Crown Royal from the LCBO has drawn criticism from a consumer advocacy group that accused the government of "weaponizing" the retailer. Federal Conservative MPs, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Quebec’s finance minister have also expressed concern, saying the provincial standoff could hurt workers outside Ontario.
Ford has urged consumers to support other whisky makers that employ workers in Ontario. "Let’s focus and support them," he said, pointing shoppers toward local brands should Crown Royal be pulled.
What this means for shoppers
For now, Crown Royal remains available at the LCBO. The short-term effect for most shoppers would be limited to choice and shelf variety. Any longer-term move to block a major brand could prompt price or supply shifts on certain labels, and would likely prompt more calls for provincial governments to avoid using public retail networks for political leverage.
Consumers who prefer to buy local can turn their attention to distillers and whisky producers operating in Ontario, a point the premier emphasised when discussing alternatives. Industry observers say supporting regional producers can help stabilise local jobs and supply chains, but broader employment and trade issues will remain subject to negotiation between governments and companies.
At stake is a relatively narrow set of jobs and a broader question about how governments should respond when multinational companies shift production. Ford’s offer gives Diageo an opening to present a formal plan, but the company has not accepted the invitation publicly. The next steps will determine whether Crown Royal stays on LCBO shelves or becomes a bargaining chip in a wider debate about manufacturing and jobs in Canada.
Doug FordDiageoCrown RoyalLCBOAmherstburg
