Small Businesses Press Canada to Open Alcohol Shipping

Canada’s small business lobby is pressing provincial and federal governments to move faster on direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping, saying that with a month-end deadline approaching, there has been almost no visible progress on an agreement meant to make it easier for Canadians to buy wine, beer and spirits from producers in other provinces.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said Sunday that governments had promised action by the end of May on a direct-to-consumer, or DTC, alcohol memorandum of understanding, but that small breweries, wineries and distillers were still waiting for clearer rules. The group said the lack of transparency was leaving the country’s internal alcohol market fragmented and keeping many producers from reaching customers beyond their home province.

According to CFIB, 77% of small businesses believe Canadians should be able to order Canadian wine, beer and craft spirits directly from any province or territory without restrictions. The organization said that despite those views and public commitments from several governments, there had been “virtually no movement” as the deadline neared.

At present, only Manitoba and New Brunswick allow direct-to-consumer shipment of all Canadian alcohol products, CFIB said. Ontario and Nova Scotia have signed a limited reciprocal arrangement that allows shipments between those two provinces. Other agreements remain uneven. Nova Scotia and British Columbia allow DTC shipping of all Canadian wine. British Columbia permits direct shipment of spirits only from Saskatchewan. Alberta allows DTC shipments of British Columbia wine only, while Saskatchewan allows DTC shipping of wine and spirits from British Columbia only.

“Announcing commitments are not the same as delivering results,” said Keyli Loeppky, CFIB’s senior director for Alberta and interprovincial affairs. She said small businesses needed clarity on what would actually be implemented and when.

The group is urging governments to remove interprovincial trade barriers, allow direct shipping without extra paperwork or markups, publish timelines more clearly and expand the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement on Goods to include alcohol sales.

CFIB said direct-to-consumer shipping would be a modest but important first step toward easing internal trade in alcohol across Canada. The organization argued that current rules distort distribution, raise compliance costs for producers and limit consumer choice by keeping provincial markets largely separate.

The issue comes as provinces continue to face pressure to reduce barriers to internal trade in goods and services. Alcohol has long been one of the most tightly controlled categories because provincial liquor boards and related regulations govern how products move across borders. For small producers, that can mean added fees, separate labeling requirements and different approval processes in each market.

CFIB said the current patchwork leaves many independent businesses unable to sell directly to customers in other provinces even when demand exists. The group framed DTC access as a practical reform rather than a symbolic one, saying it would help producers expand sales without having to rely entirely on provincial wholesalers or retail systems.

The federation did not say whether any new provincial announcements were expected before the end-of-month target date.