Diageo has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Canada following Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s threat to pull Crown Royal and other of its brands from the shelves of the province’s alcohol retail monopoly.
The remarks came after the London-headquartered group confirmed plans to close its Amherstburg bottling facility in February 2026. The decision to shutter the site, part of a wider plan to “streamline its North American supply chain,” was not politically driven and would not alter its operational footprint in Canada, Diageo said.
“We will maintain a significant presence across Canada,” the company said, highlighting its ongoing operations at facilities in Gimli, Manitoba and Valleyfield, Quebec, as well as its national headquarters and warehouse in the Greater Toronto Area.
The Amherstburg plant, one of several sites that bottle Crown Royal, employs nearly 200 people. Once the closure has completed, Diageo confirmed that bottling for Canada and international markets – excluding the US – will continue at Valleyfield, which also distils and ages Crown Royal. The company added that its higher-end Crown Royal expressions, including those bound for the US, will remain bottled in Canada.
Diageo, which directly employs around 500 people across Canada, said its products support around 9,700 jobs nationally, including over 3,000 in Ontario. Since 2021, the group has invested in the region of CAD$150m (US$109m) in its operations in the country.
Earlier this year, Premier Ford warned that Crown Royal could be delisted from Liquor Control Board of Ontario outlets if Diageo proceeds with the closure. The Premier has also suggested Smirnoff could face similar treatment. Last month, he poured a bottle of Crown Royal onto the floor in protest at Diageo’s planned closure (below).
