Provinces agree to direct-to-consumer alcohol sales from out-of-province
Posted Jul 21, 2026 2:18 pm.
Last Updated Jul 21, 2026 4:09 pm.
CHARLOTTETOWN — Alberta’s premier says the province has joined an agreement to remove a major barrier to interprovincial sales of alcohol.
Under a new deal, Canada’s premiers say they are updating rules to allow more Canadian brewers and distillers to sell alcohol directly to Canadian consumers outside of their home provinces.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued a statement about the agreement.
“Our government has now signed a direct-to-consumer alcohol sales agreement with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia. This agreement will allow Alberta liquor producers to sell their beer, wine, spirits and other alcoholic beverages directly to more Canadians, opening new markets and creating new opportunities for Alberta businesses to grow.”
The agreement is aimed at lifting barriers that make it more difficult or costly for manufacturers to sell alcohol outside their home provinces.
Some jurisdictions such as New Brunswick and Manitoba have already reached deals to permit more interprovincial sales of certain types of alcohol.
All the provinces and the Yukon signed a memorandum last year committing to open their borders to direct consumer sales by May 2026.
However, Smith says more needs to be done on breaking down interprovincial trade barriers.
In a statement, the premiers said that Quebec and Yukon were aiming to sign on to the agreement in the near future, while B.C. said it would allow companies to sell directly to consumers by February 2027.
The push for direct to consumer sales is part of a larger effort to address interprovincial trade barriers across Canada.
The new deal also comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to implement steep tariffs on Canadian beer, wine and spirits.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 21, 2026.
— With files from Jack Farrell in Edmonton.
Eli Ridder, The Canadian Press
