The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) says there’s a lack of transparency and progress in implementing direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol shipment policies, despite governments promising action by the end of May.
It said small, independent breweries, wineries, and distillers across Canada have been waiting for clearer rules and expanded access to ship their products directly to consumers. CFIB said data shows that 77% of small businesses think Canadians should have the freedom to order Canadian wine, beer, and craft spirits directly from any province or territory without restrictions.
Several governments have publicly committed to reviewing or updating alcohol distribution frameworks, including a DTC memorandum of understanding (MOU) pointing to the end of May 2026 as the target date for implementation. However, with only days remaining before the anticipated deadline, there has been virtually no movement to deliver on those commitments, said the national organization, which is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 103,000 members across every industry and region.
Currently, only Manitoba and New Brunswick permit DTC of all Canadian alcohol products, and Ontario and Nova Scotia have signed a limited reciprocal agreement allowing shipments between the two provinces. Other jurisdictional agreements continue to be fragmented. Nova Scotia and British Columbia allow DTC shipping of all Canadian wine, and BC permits DTC of spirits only from Saskatchewan. Alberta permits DTC shipments of BC wine only. Saskatchewan allows DTC shipping of wine and spirits from BC only, added the CFIB.
“Announcing commitments are not the same as delivering results,” said Keyli Loeppky, senior director of Alberta and interprovincial affairs at CFIB. “With the deadline essentially here, small businesses deserve clarity on what’s actually being implemented and when.
“Direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is the bare minimum of what governments should be doing to improve internal trade of alcohol products within Canada. Some may dismiss DTC as a small or symbolic change, but it is an important first step. It signals that governments are finally moving in the right direction on reducing outdated barriers that prevents Canadians from buying and selling across provincial borders.”
CFIB said it continues to urge governments to:
- Remove unnecessary interprovincial trade barriers;
- allow for DTC shipping of alcohol products without requiring additional paperwork and markups, as Manitoba and New Brunswick do;
- communicate timelines transparently; and
- expand the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement on Goods to cover the sale of alcohol.
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