Ontario Premier Doug Ford has taken a firm stand against spirits giant Diageo, declaring that Crown Royal and other popular brands may be removed from LCBO shelves if the company proceeds with its plan to close a bottling facility in southwestern Ontario.
During a speech in Quebec, Ford emphasized that Crown Royal will be taken off store shelves “as soon as the last person leaves that plant,” referring to Diageo’s Amherstburg bottling facility. The closure, announced earlier this year, is expected to result in the loss of around 200 jobs as the company relocates some operations to the United States.
Ford stated, “Then we’ll look at Smirnoff. Smirnoff’s next. That’s what happens when you try to undermine the people of Ontario.” Diageo, known for brands like Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Baileys, and Captain Morgan, has reassured that it will continue producing Crown Royal in Canada while maintaining its Canadian headquarters and warehouse operations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), alongside its facilities in Manitoba and Quebec.
The premier expressed determination to hold large corporations like Diageo accountable for their actions. Crown Royal is a top-selling whiskey at the LCBO, and Smirnoff is a favored vodka brand in Ontario.
Ford’s remarks are the latest development in a conflict that began when he strongly reacted to Diageo’s decision to close the Amherstburg facility in September. In a symbolic gesture, Ford poured out a bottle of Crown Royal during a press conference, calling for a boycott of the brand.
Despite Ford’s attempts to negotiate incentives to retain the jobs, Diageo officials declined the offer. Ford criticized the company’s decision as “as dumb as a bag of hammers” and accused them of abandoning Ontario workers. Diageo has defended the closure as a necessary step to enhance supply chain efficiency and has pledged to assist affected employees during the transition in collaboration with Unifor and local authorities.