Nine Canadian provinces sign landmark deal allowing direct alcohol sales across borders

Nine Canadian provinces have signed a landmark agreement to implement direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol sales, allowing Canadians to order alcohol directly from producers in participating provinces for personal consumption. The deal applies only to sales from producers and excludes retailers or resale. Alberta craft alcohol producers say the agreement is a major step forward.

The agreement follows a July 2025 memorandum of understanding that committed provinces to opening cross-border DTC alcohol shipping by May 2026. Before this deal, interprovincial alcohol sales were largely funnelled through provincial liquor boards, creating lengthy listing processes that many small producers struggled to navigate.

"It's been very difficult for Canadian producers to access other provinces," said David Farran, president and founder of Calgary-based Eau Claire Distillery. "Most of the retailing across Canada is run by government liquor stores, and they make the decisions on how to stock their shelves and what products to carry."

Farran noted that although Eau Claire has secured listings in other provinces and in 15 U.S. states, the process has been far from straightforward. "The red tape aspect of getting these listings is almost impossible to overcome," he said. "Our company has been successful in getting listings, but it's taken us a long time, and it hasn't been easy."

Shauna Feth, president and CEO of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, called the agreement a step in the right direction but said more work remains. "For a small brewery, winery or distillery, those barriers can mean added costs, complicated rules and fewer opportunities to grow within their own country," Feth said in a statement. The chamber has advocated for reducing red tape and trade barriers that Alberta businesses face.