P.E.I. latest province to sell off U.S. liquor and donate net profits

HALIFAX — Prince Edward Island is set to sell off its existing stockpile of American alcohol and donate the net profits to island food banks.

Finance Minister Jill Burridge said in an interview Wednesday that there is an estimated $3.2 million worth of U.S. booze stockpiled, which she expects to net roughly $600,000 in profits.

That money will be extended to food banks across the island beginning in January, with further donations every month as the stock is sold off.

Prince Edward Island, along with the rest of the country, pulled U.S. booze from liquor store shelves in February in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

But Burridge says it’s a net positive to be able to donate the money to island food banks, especially as those organizations help many residents at this time of year.

“As far as the tariffs are concerned, we found ourselves in this place that was kind of a negative,” Burridge says. “It’s nice to see a little positive come out of these things.”

P.E.I. is the latest province to announce plans to sell off its American stockpile and donate the proceeds, following Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Other provinces, such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, have resumed selling U.S. alcohol but haven’t committed to donating the proceeds.

Alberta’s liquor stores are privately owned but must order stock through the provincial government. In June, the province began purchasing U.S. liquor again, with Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally saying the move signalled a “renewed commitment to open and fair trade” with the United States. Shortly after Alberta made their decision public, Saskatchewan also opened up the border to American alcohol.

Linda Somers, the director of corporate affairs for P.E.I.’s liquor commission says there are about 44,000 American units to be sold. She said nearly 70 per cent of those are wine and 30 per cent are spirits.

Somers expects Kentucky bourbon and Cabernet Sauvignon from California to be especially popular.

While the bottles should be returning to shelves on Thursday, she urges customers to be patient with store employees. She noted not all products will be on the shelves when they open the stores.

At this point, Burridge says there is no plan to reorder American alcohol once the stockpile is gone.

“It’s more of a national conversation,” Burridge says. “It’s the Team Canada approach, that’s how the message was delivered in February. It was all the provinces looking to stand shoulder to shoulder on this.”

As Canadian provinces stopped importing U.S. alcohol, Burridge says there were conversations provincially about increasing interprovincial trade. Burridge says she is in talks with her counterparts in other provinces, and the provincial liquor commissions are also “working through the details” of any potential trade.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2025.

Emily Baron Cadloff, The Canadian Press