Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will remove Crown Royal whisky from provincial liquor store shelves if Diageo Canada follows through with plans to close its nearly 100-year-old plant in Amherstburg.
Speaking at a union rally in Brampton, Ford called the decision to shutter the facility “disgraceful” and vowed to retaliate if the U.K.-based company proceeds. “When the last worker walks out that door, those bottles are coming off LCBO shelves,” Ford told cheering supporters.
The closure would eliminate roughly 200 jobs, dealing a major blow to Amherstburg — where Diageo is the largest employer. The company says the move is part of a supply-chain restructuring to shift bottling closer to U.S. consumers, but the union argues it’s purely a cost-cutting measure.
Union leaders are demanding Ford take immediate action, warning that waiting until the plant closes in February would lessen the impact. They insist pulling Diageo’s products now could pressure the company to reconsider its decision.
Ford’s office says “all options remain on the table,” while Diageo has not confirmed whether it will reverse course.
