Ontario Secures $23M Diageo Investment for Crown Royal

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on February 13, 2026, that Crown Royal whiskey will continue to be sold at Liquor Control Board of Ontario stores following an agreement with its parent company, Diageo, to invest nearly 23 million dollars in the province.

The deal averts a months-long threat by Ford to remove the popular Canadian brand from shelves in response to Diageo's planned closure of a bottling plant in Amherstburg, near Windsor. The shutdown, set to occur later this year, will eliminate about 200 jobs in the region. Ford had escalated the dispute in recent weeks by pouring out a bottle of Crown Royal during a press conference to underscore his position.

In the lead-up to the announcement, Ford shifted his approach, describing his outreach to Diageo as extending an "olive branch." He urged the company to offset the job losses through alternative support for Ontario's economy, including investments in local production and marketing. Diageo, a global beverage giant, agreed to the terms, directing funds toward several initiatives. These include 11 million dollars to purchase grain neutral spirits produced in Johnstown, in eastern Ontario; 3 million dollars for...