Ontario Joins Landmark Canada-Wide Direct-to-Consumer Alcohol Sales Agreement

Deal will break down interprovincial trade barriers for alcoholic beverages, improving consumer choice and opening up new markets to Canadian manufacturers

Today, Premier Doug Ford along with premiers of eight other Canadian provinces — British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador — signed a historic Alcohol Sales Agreement that will allow direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales of alcoholic beverages between their individual jurisdictions for personal use. This new agreement is building a more open and united Canadian economy by removing a major trade barrier within Canada. It was co-led by Ontario and Saskatchewan and reflects collaboration among all participating jurisdictions, building on the commitments made in the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on DTC sales of alcoholic beverages and is a major part of Ontario’s plan to remove barriers to free and open trade between Canadian provinces and territories. Negotiations on the agreement concluded earlier this year.

“In the face of President Trump’s latest tariffs, it’s more important than ever that Team Canada work together to build a more united, resilient and self-reliant Canadian economy,” said Premier Ford. “Today’s agreement will open new markets and new choice and convenience for producers and customers in Ontario and across Canada, while helping unlock more than $200 billion in untapped economic opportunity that is currently being held back by internal trade barriers.”

The new Alcohol Sales Agreement builds on a similar bilateral pact signed earlier this year between Ontario and Nova Scotia, and will expand choice for consumers across Canada to purchase alcohol directly from local producers in other provinces, including breweries, wineries and distilleries. The agreement will also offer the chance for these producers to explore and cultivate new markets within Canadian borders.

“Ontario continues to lead the way on breaking down interprovincial trade barriers to unlock economic growth, support jobs and build a more competitive and resilient economy in Ontario and across Canada,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “Enhancing interprovincial trade of alcoholic beverages opens new domestic markets for Ontario alcohol producers, strengthening economic ties between provinces, while also increasing choice and convenience for consumers.”

Today’s signing in Charlottetown takes place ahead of tomorrow’s Council of the Federation summer meeting hosted by Prince Edward Island. Through this new agreement, the participating jurisdictions are fulfilling a key commitment made by First Ministers at their meeting on January 29, 2026, to support the reduction of barriers to internal trade for alcoholic beverages. Provinces and territories remain committed to working with each other and the federal government to maintain momentum in removing barriers to build a more resilient and streamlined economy and to unlock Canada’s full economic potential.

“As Canada continues to build a more streamlined and resilient economy, Ontario is proud to have co-led today’s landmark direct-to-consumer agreement, unlocking new market opportunities for local producers and manufacturers. We commend the collaborative efforts of all participating jurisdictions and look forward to leveraging this momentum to break down more internal trade barriers and advance true, free trade across our nation.” – Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

Before the Alcohol Sales Agreement signed today, and prior to the March 2026 DTC alcohol agreement between Ontario and Nova Scotia, Ontario consumers were only permitted to purchase alcoholic beverages from another province if the products were listed by the LCBO, ordered via the LCBO’s Private Ordering Program or bought in another province and transported by the purchaser to Ontario for personal use. Under the agreement signed today, producers in participating jurisdictions can now seek authorization from the LCBO to provide consumers in Ontario with direct access to conveniently purchase their alcoholic beverages of choice via online merchants and have those beverages delivered directly to their homes. Consumers located in those same jurisdictions will also have the same ability to make purchases from Ontario producers.

With the Alcohol Sales Agreement successfully finalized and signed and its provisions going into effect immediately, Ontario will continue to lead the way in strengthening interprovincial trade and expanding economic cooperation within Canada, and continuing to execute on existing economic cooperation agreements with Canada’s provinces and territories to unlock an estimated $200 billion in unrealized economic growth within Canadian borders.

Quick Facts

• British Columbia is committing to have their system in place to implement DTC for all types of alcohol in February 2027.
• The Ontario–Nova Scotia DTC alcohol agreement saw both provinces implement a mark-up structure that ensures fairness and competitiveness for domestic producers and Ontario’s mark-up structure aligns with existing domestic tax rates.
• Last year, Ontario passed the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act, 2025, which includes legislative changes to enable a framework for DTC sales of alcohol.
• Since April 2025, Ontario and ten other jurisdictions have signed economic cooperation MOUs committing them to advance initiatives designed to spur the Canadian economy, such as pan-Canadian DTC alcohol sales and labour mobility.
• Since October 31, 2024, Ontario consumers have been able to buy beer, wine, cider, coolers, seltzers and other low-alcohol ready-to-drink beverages at all participating convenience, grocery and big box stores across the province, the largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition almost 100 years ago.