Provincial release:

Premier Tim Houston and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have signed a direct-to-consumer agreement that will allow Nova Scotia producers to sell their wine, beer and spirits directly to Ontarians.

Nova Scotians will also be able to order alcoholic beverages directly from Ontario producers.

“Nova Scotia is committed to dismantling internal trade barriers, piece by piece, but my goal is to have free trade, nationwide,” said Premier Houston. “This agreement is a stepping stone that will give our local producers more access to Ontario markets and open a broader customer base. We will continue to work with other provinces and territories to reach agreements so that our companies have more opportunities and customers have more choice.”

Consumers must be 19 or older to order alcohol, and the beverages must be for personal use.
The agreement was signed today, March 2, whilePremier Houston is in Toronto attending the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference; it takes effect immediately.

Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s leading winemaking regions and produces a variety of beer, coolers, cider and distilled products.

Quotes:
“With President Trump taking direct aim at Ontario companies and workers, it has never been more important to boost interprovincial trade and support local businesses. Ontario is leading the way to unlock free trade within Canada. Our agreement means Nova Scotia residents can conveniently purchase their favourite Ontario craft beers, wines and more, while Ontario residents will be able to buy the very best Nova Scotia has to offer.” 
— Ontario PremierDoug Ford

“Wine Growers Canada applauds Nova Scotia and Ontario for their leadership in launching a reciprocal direct-to-consumer wine agreement between two of Canada’s leading wine-producing provinces. This is an important step toward building a pan-Canadian DTC marketplace – strengthening our domestic wine industry, supporting rural economies and expanding wine tourism opportunities across the country. With imported wines accounting for nearly 70 per cent of sales in Canada, Canadian producers must have a fair chance to compete and grow at home. We urge all provinces to build on this momentum and help create a truly open national market for Canadian wine.” 
— Dan Paszkowski , President and CEO, Wine Growers Canada

Quick Facts:
– Ontario producers must be authorized by the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. (NSLC) to sell directly to Nova Scotians; producers in Nova Scotia must do likewise through the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)
– applications open Tuesday, March 3, and are available on the NSLC and LCBO websites
– there are about 130 licensed alcoholic beverage producers in Nova Scotia

Additional Resources:
More information on direct-to-consumer alcohol sales is available at: https://novascotia.ca/direct-to-consumer-alcohol-sales/

News release –Agreements to Remove Trade Barriers in Key Sectors: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/11/20/agreements-remove-trade-barriers-key-sectors

News release – Province Removes Barriers on Direct-to-Consumer Alcohol Imports: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/06/27/province-removes-barriers-direct-consumer-alcohol-imports