When shopping for products, Martha Reynolds consciously avoids buying American goods, opting for alternatives from different regions. She shared her perspective while at a Halifax location of the province’s government-operated liquor retailer, expressing her shift from bourbon to scotch whisky and her appreciation for local wines.
Reynolds, a former member of the provincial wine association, highlighted the quality of wines from Nova Scotia, Ontario, and British Columbia, suggesting that giving up California wines does not pose a significant loss.
The impact of actions like Reynolds’ choice, combined with some provinces halting American alcohol sales in response to the U.S.-initiated trade dispute, continues to affect American alcohol producers negatively.
Chris Swonger, the president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, acknowledged the challenges faced by the industry, emphasizing the need to find common ground with the Trump administration amidst declining exports to Canada.
The council reported a 63% decrease in exports to Canada last year, attributing this decline primarily to the boycott of U.S. alcohol in various Canadian provinces.
Furthermore, the council noted that whisky producers accelerated shipments to the European Union in late 2024 due to potential retaliatory tariffs, contributing to the export decrease.
Excluding Canada from the data, the council stated that spirit exports actually increased by 2.5% for the year.
Although the NSLC temporarily removed American alcohol from shelves in March 2025 as a response to the trade war, they resumed selling existing stock late last year without ordering additional products.
Terah McKinnon, an NSLC spokesperson, mentioned that detailed information on remaining products would be available in the upcoming year-end financial report in June.
Swonger acknowledged the emotional impact of the political divide between the U.S. and Canada, expressing hope for improved relations in the future.
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