Doug Ford pours out bottle of Crown Royal over upcoming Ontario plant closure

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is reacting angrily to news of the closure of a plant that bottles Crown Royal, pouring out a bottle at a press conference and encouraging others to dump the whisky as well.

Spirits maker Diageo announced last week that it will cease operations at its bottling facility in Amherstburg, Ont., early next year, as it shifts some bottling volume to the United States.

The move will affect about 200 jobs.

The company has said it was a difficult decision made to improve the efficiency and resiliency of its supply chain, but Ford says the decision shows they are “as dumb as a bag of hammers.”

Ford says he asked the company if there were any incentives Ontario could provide to save the jobs but Diageo officials said no.

The premier then produced a bottle of Crown Royal and proceeded to slowly dump it out at the end of an unrelated press conference, saying everyone should do the same and instead support companies that make whisky in Ontario.

Diageo has said it will engage with the community and find ways to support its employees through the transition, and work alongside Unifor to assist unionized workers.

The company said it will still maintain a “significant” footprint in Canada — including its headquarters and warehouse operations in the Greater Toronto Area, and bottling and distillation facilities in Manitoba and Quebec.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2025.