‘No more wiggle room’ for craft beer makers, says Brimstone owner
February 10, 2025 at 3:45 AM
U.S. president Donald Trump has pulled back his threats of tariffs on Canadian goods for another few weeks, but there remains plenty of uncertainty on the minds of Canadian industries and small businesses.
Before Trump decided to pause his tariff plan, Doug Ford announced a retaliation of pulling all U.S. products off the shelves of the LCBO.
It is unknown whether this will occur if Trump does end up imposing additional border taxes on Canada, but the owner of a local brewery says it would be important to promote Ontario craft beer and wineries if American products are banned from the LCBO.
This could be one “potential positive,” said Jason Pizzicarola, owner of Brimstone Brewing Company in Ridgeway.
But if tariffs do become a reality, it will be crushing for the craft beer industry.
“There’s no more wiggle room with what the government takes from us,” he said, adding that taxes on craft beer makers in Ontario are eight times higher than in Alberta.
If Trump does follow through with his plan, this would mean rising costs in grains used to make beer, as well as aluminum cans.
“That’s the only way to recover, by charging more,” he said referring to what businesses will have to do in response to possible tariffs.
In a news release before Trump agreed to stall implementing tariffs, Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates called on the LCBO to restock its shelves with made-in-Ontario wines and spirits.
“Let’s leave no empty shelves in the LCBO. Ontario’s wine industry produces some of the best wines in the world–let’s take this opportunity to showcase Niagara and Ontario,” said Gates, before Ford announced that U.S. products would remain on LCBO shelves for now.
“Ontario wineries have long been fighting an uphill battle for fair shelf space, with imported wines often getting better treatment,” Gates added.
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About The Author
Kris Dubé
Kris is a veteran journalist who has worked in Niagara for close to 20 years. He is also a lifelong resident of Fort Erie, a place he plans to call home and raise his family for many more years.
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