The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) praised a Tuesday accord among provinces to implement Canada's nationwide direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol sales agreement, saying it marks an important breakthrough for independent wineries, breweries and distilleries.
On Tuesday, most Canadian provinces signed the country's first-ever DTC alcohol sales agreement, which will allow for the freer movement of alcohol across participating jurisdictions.
The deal marks a practical step toward reducing internal trade barriers and strengthening Canada's domestic market, wrote CFIB in a late Tuesday statement.
The announcement coincides with the 2026 Council of the Federation Summer Meeting on Prince Edward Island, where Canadian premiers are meeting as the US imposes a new round of tariffs. The Trump administration cited some Canadian provinces' removal of US alcoholic beverages from provincial liquor stores, introduced in response to earlier US tariffs, as one justification for the new 50% duties announced Monday.
CFIB welcomed the provincial reform but said more work remains. It called for alcohol to be included under the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement, allowing products legally sold in one province or territory to be sold across the country without duplicate testing, paperwork, or regulatory requirements, reducing barriers for small producers and improving internal market integration.