Kentucky distillers say Canada's bourbon bans are still hurting them

Fall in U.S. spirits exports to Canada

70 %

U.S. spirits exports to Canada fell from US$232 million a year before the bans to US$72 million, a 70 per cent decline, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

Kentucky bourbon and whiskey exports to Canada dropped 42.4 per cent last year, from US$43.7 million in 2024 to US$25.2 million in 2025, according to the Kentucky Distillers' Association.

Tom Bard, co-founder of Bard Distillery, which sold in British Columbia and Alberta, says the provincial bans cost it hires and stopped its expansion work.

"Suddenly that was a revenue stream that we had just overnight lost and we're still trying to get it back."

— Tom Bard, Bard Distillery