Premier Doug Ford says he will ban Crown Royal whiskey from Ontario-run liquor stores if British alcoholic beverage company Diageo proceeds with its plan to close its bottling plant in the southwestern part of the province.
Ford has been critical of Diageo since the company announced plans in late August to shutter its nearly 100-year-old bottling plant in Amherstburg next February in a bid to “increase efficiency.” The decision will impact the 170 employees who work at the facility and will also have repercussions for the local economy.
Ford made the comments at an unrelated Oct. 6 press conference in Quebec City, saying Diageo’s decision to close the plant is shortsighted. He described the LCBO as the “largest purchaser of alcohol in the entire world,” noting that the Ontario-run liquor store buys $765 million more than any jurisdiction anywhere in the United States or Canada….