Ontario still stores U.S. alcohol stockpile as costs rise

Ontario is still warehousing a large stockpile of U.S. alcohol more than a year after it was removed from LCBO shelves, and the province has not said what it plans to do with the inventory. New records obtained by CBC News show taxpayers have spent about $8 million on storage costs. The LCBO also says about $2.6 million worth of the alcohol has expired, while most of the remaining stock is still considered in good condition. The products were pulled from shelves in March 2025 after Ontario responded to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. Since then, the province has continued to review options, while other provinces have returned at least some U.S. alcohol to shelves or used proceeds for charity. Experts say the move created a major logistics problem for the LCBO, which had to quickly remove and store inventory across more than 660 outlets. Specialists also noted that wine quality depends heavily on storage conditions, and some products may need testing before any possible return to stores.