The NSLC has reported that approximately a month ago, it had about $1.5 million worth of American alcohol remaining in its inventory, which represents only 10 percent of what was available when it initially removed U.S. products from its shelves.
On Tuesday, Nova Scotia’s government-operated alcohol retailer and distributor announced its financial outcomes for the first quarter. It indicated that more than $1.8 million of American liquor was sold during this period, which spanned from April 1 to June 28.
In a subsequent email to CBC News, the NSLC confirmed that as of August 17, it still had around $1.5 million of American stock on hand. This indicates that roughly 90 percent of the U.S. alcohol inventory has been sold, and there are no plans to restock.
The NSLC ceased purchasing American alcohol in January 2025 and removed it from store shelves in March 2025 as part of Canada’s response to the trade conflict with the United States.
The retail value of the removed alcohol amounted to $14,896,652, equating to over 600,000 units of product.
In December, the NSLC began selling the stored products, with the generated funds directed to community food organizations.
In April, it was revealed that 315 organizations would benefit from grants totaling $5.3 million due to these sales, with contributions varying from $1,000 to $350,000 for different groups.
Two NSLC employees are shown removing American wine from the shelves at the Bayers Lake location in Halifax on Feb. 5, 2025, in what turned out to be a dry run for the eventual removal of all U.S. alcohol. (NSLC)
The revenue from the sales of American products will also support food security initiatives, a spokesperson from the Finance Department confirmed to CBC last month.
The availability of American alcohol varies significantly across the nation — with full access in Alberta, while Ontario’s LCBO, a major liquor retailer, has none available.
Several other provinces, including Nova Scotia, find themselves in a similar situation.
Major trade irritant
The refusal by numerous Crown-run alcohol retailers to purchase American liquor has negatively impacted the U.S. alcohol sector and has become a significant trade issue.
Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, stated to CBC’s Power and Politics in May that these actions have been “devastating.”
“We are suffering,” he remarked. “We are making our case to the Trump administration strongly in hopes that some common ground can be found.”
Worldwide, American exports saw a 3.8 percent decline in 2025, largely due to the boycott of U.S. alcohol across many Canadian provinces.
The council noted that excluding Canada from the statistics would have resulted in a 2.5 percent increase in spirit exports for the year.
Southern Comfort bills itself as ‘The spirit of New Orleans,’ but it’s actually produced and bottled in Montreal, so it remains available for sale at the NSLC. (CBC)
Last year, Brown-Forman, the owner of Jack Daniel’s whisky and Woodford Reserve bourbon, reported a 62 percent drop in sales to Canada during its first fiscal quarter.
In Nova Scotia, products classified as American alcohol are those created, manufactured, or produced in the U.S. This classification allows beers like Budweiser or Coors, brewed in Canadian facilities, to still be sold.
This also means that Southern Comfort — advertised as “The spirit of New Orleans” on its label — remains available at NSLC outlets, as it is produced in Montreal.
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