Maritime stores pull American booze from shelves prior to last-minute deal between countries

Maritime liquor stores are pulling American alcohol from their shelves in response to U.S. tariffs.

Patrick Dwyer is grabbing a couple bottles of bourbon, just in case.

“This is my only opportunity until they take it off the shelves so I’m just going to buy a couple bottles today and then down the road I’m going to support either Canadian rye or I’m going to buy something from Mexico, some tequila,” Dwyer says.

It’s all part of the push back against Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariff threat that was scheduled to come into effect Tuesday.

Late Monday afternoon, Canada and the United States agreed on a 30-day reprieve.

Prior to the deal, Canada had hit back with a similar levy on $30 billion worth of American goods brought into the country.

All three Maritime provinces agreed to remove imported American alcohol from store shelves.

“At any given time we have probably about seven per cent of our listings are attributed to U.S. products,” says Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation spokesperson Terah McKinnon. “It’s roughly around 500 products that we have in our stores at any given time.”

That translates to about $18 million dollars in sales, according McKinnon.

Prince Edward Island sells about $7 million, while New Brunswick sells the most.

“I think $40 million is more than nothing and when you pair it with the efforts that our colleagues and other provinces are doing. I think the removal of U.S. alcohol across all of Canada will have a noticeable impact on the,” New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says.

The U.S. booze ban would mean restaurants and bars wouldn’t be selling it either.

Despite the lost sales, owner Brian Doherty thinks the move is a necessary one.

“It’s quite a bit of liquor, quite a bit of beer and quite a bit of wine,” Doherty says. “It will send a strong message to the president that once these wine companies and liquor companies start feeling the lack of orders, I think you’ll be hearing from them.”

Once the products are sold, orders with distilleries and breweries south of the border weren’t going to be renewed.

Following the new deal Monday, McKinnon is now waiting for word from the province about returning the booze to the shelves.

“We will wait to find out what our next steps are based on the province’s decision. Similar to them announcing on Saturday that we would no longer be selling U.S. products in our stores,” McKinnon says.

McKinnon says they have enough room to keep the American alcohol in storage until they’re told to put it back.