‘Devastating’ blow as Diageo closes Ontario Crown Royal site
Workers were told of the closure with “no prior discussions,” sparking anger from unions and concern from business leaders in the Ontario town.
Supply chain restructure
Diageo, the world’s largest spirits maker, will shutter its Crown Royal whisky bottling plant in Amherstburg, Ontario by February 2026, Reuters originally reported. The company said the decision was part of a plan to streamline its North American supply chain by moving some bottling volume closer to its US consumer base.
Production of Crown Royal — including mashing, distillation, and ageing — will remain in Canada, but bottling will transfer to Diageo’s facility in Valleyfield, Quebec. The London-based firm, which also makes Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff, said it would support affected workers and work with unions, but did not confirm how many jobs would be lost.
The announcement comes weeks after Diageo reported a smaller-than-expected fall in annual profit, easing investor concerns amid difficult market conditions.
Union and local backlash
Unifor Local 200, which represents 160 workers at the Amherstburg site, has pledged to fight the closure. Its president, John D’Agnolo, described the decision as “shocking and devastating,” telling CBC: “I can guarantee you there were a lot of tears coming out of that plant, because it’s been a benchmark in Amherstburg. It’s our largest employer. We’ve got to make sure we fight like hell to keep that plant.”
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D’Agnolo said employees only learned of the decision on Thursday morning and had no prior discussions about improving the facility’s operations. “They read off a letter to me saying it was a business decision and that was it,” he told CBC.
The union leader added that Unifor has long campaigned for Canadian jobs during tariff disputes, and called for support from all levels of government to keep manufacturing in the country.
Community impact
Local business leaders have also raised concerns. Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce president Dan Gemus told CBC that the shutdown would have “a major impact on the community,” saying: “This is the first time Amherstburg has seen a business as valuable as Diageo, the size of Diageo, affecting as many lives as it does, hit here locally.”
Gemus warned that families tightening household budgets ahead of the closure would have knock-on effects for small businesses and restaurants already struggling under tariffs and rising costs. While he expressed doubts the union could reverse Diageo’s decision, he said workers had little choice but to fight.
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