Canada has removed its biggest internal trade barrier for alcohol

Nine Canadian provincial premiers signed an agreement on 21 July 2026 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, to implement direct-to-consumer sales of alcoholic beverages across their jurisdictions. The agreement allows brewers, distillers, and wineries to sell beer, wine, spirits, cider, and other alcoholic beverages directly to consumers in any of the nine participating provinces, regardless of where the producer is based. The provinces that signed are British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Quebec did not sign. The deal was announced at the Council of the Federation meeting and reported by The Canadian Press on 21 July 2026.