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Conservatives seek to remove barriers to shipping alcohol across provincial borders

  • Catherine Morrison and Sarah Ritchie

  • Canadian Press

  • March 10, 2026

MP for Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna Dan Albas rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA -- A Conservative member of Parliament has introduced a private member's bill to enable shipments of Canadian alcohol across the country.

Dan Albas's bill seeks to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act to remove restrictions on direct interprovincial shipments of alcohol to consumers.

At a press conference Tuesday morning, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said there are more barriers to trade between provinces than there are with many countries, and it's against the law for Canada Post to deliver Canadian beer, wine or liquor in six provinces.

Federal and provincial leaders have been working to dismantle internal trade barriers and Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed during the spring federal election campaign to have "free trade" in Canada "by Canada Day."

Bill C-5, the omnibus bill that reduces federal restrictions on interprovincial trade and also speeds up permitting for large infrastructure projects, became law on June 26.

Poilievre argues there has been "very little progress" on interprovincial free trade and the obstacle isn't the provinces but the Canada Post legislation, which he is urging the prime minister to change.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2026.