Deal between Ontario and Diageo panned by mayor, union in Amherstburg as
Ontario will keep Crown Royal on the shelves in the province’s liquor stores, it says, after parent company Diageo agreed to almost $23 million in spending in the alcohol and agriculture sectors.
But the deal won’t help people losing their jobs at the end of the month, the town’s mayor and the union representing workers said.
According to a statement Friday, the province said it had reached the agreement with the company after months of negotiations.
Last year, Diageo announced it would be closing its Amherstburg bottling plant in southwestern Ontario, putting nearly 200 workers out of their jobs by the end of February.
Premier Doug Ford said the money would help strengthen provincial supply chains and “support the local community in Amherstburg and the surrounding area.”
“By standing firm in our plan to protect Ontario workers, we’ve secured nearly $23 million in investments that Ontario would not otherwise have seen,” said Ford.
As a result of the agreement, the province said Crown Royal will remain available though the LCBO.
In a statement, a Diageo spokesperson said the company was pleased Crown Royal will remain on shelves.
“We thank Premier Ford and his team for their exceptional leadership and collaboration in reaching this resolution.”
Diageo workers in Amherstburg may have recently signed a closure agreement, but Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue says the municipality has been focused on what happens next with the Crown Royal bottling plant that’s shutting down February 2026.
While some of the investment is going to Amherstburg, most of the money is earmarked for the alcohol and agriculture sectors elsewhere in the province.
According to the province, about $500,000 will come to the group Invest WindsorEssex for economic development in Amherstburg, while another $500,000 will be used for “community projects” for the residents of Amherstburg.
Invest WindsorEssex said it is working with the community to “identify the next steps and develop specific program supports that will respond to Amherstburg’s evolving economic needs.”
“The Town of Amherstburg has long played an important role in our region’s economic fabric. This funding will allow us to build on local strengths, support diversification and help position the community for long-term success,” chief executive officer Gordon Orr said in a statement.
The $500,000 will be used for resources and support for the Amherstburg economy, and “advance new opportunities for local businesses, workers and the broader Windsor-Essex community.”
Diageo will also spend $11 million to purchase grain spirits made by Greenfield in Johnstown, “supporting local production in eastern Ontario.”
The company will also spend millions on new packaging and $5 million on Ontario-based marketing.
The agreement includes a commitment to explore options for…
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