Albertans consider suspending U.S. alcohol and travel plans as trade talks collapse
Posted Aug 23, 2026 11:36 am.
Albertans are considering buying more Canadian-made products and changing their travel plans to the United States after Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended trade talks with the U.S.
The move comes as 50 per cent tariffs on a wide range of Canadian goods imposed by the U.S. took effect Saturday.
Alberta is one of the provinces that allows U.S. alcohol to be sold in the province, and some Edmonton liquor store customers say they are considering switching to Canadian products.
“For the most part if you can get locally made liquor it’s a better way to go … I try to stick around like a sea shanty or what they called Sea Change,” said Marcel Leiney, a liquor store customer.
“I usually switch to local like after that I mean I try to. I don’t know about these ones but I tried to, you know,” said Camryn Hanson, a liquor store customer.
“I mean US booze is pretty awesome. I’m not going to lie but … I’m going to support Canadian booze,” said Bryan Szalecki, a liquor store customer.
The trade dispute is also affecting some Albertans’ travel plans, with some saying they are reconsidering trips to the United States.
“I used to go to the state twice a year in March and in November to Virginia and I went to Washington many many times to visit museums and sightseeing and so on but I have no desire to go back,” said Hans Voegeli, a traveller.
Abdul Tabani, a physician and traveller, said the trade dispute is also affecting professionals who travel to the U.S. for conferences.
“Being a physician I can tell you there are so many doctors, they are not attending conferences there. So when we ask them they always say that because of the questioning because of the unnecessary obstacles. So that is impacting our economy, our professional growth as well,” said Tabani.
Carney has said Canada will respond with retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
The retaliatory tariffs are set to take effect after Labour Day, on Sept. 8.
