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OTTAWA — Just days after Quebec opted not to join the nine other Canadian provinces in signing a landmark operating agreement to allow direct-to-consumer (DTC) interprovincial sales of alcohol, Paul Cirka wrote to Premier Christine Fréchette.
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The CEO and founder of CIRKA Distilleries in Montreal lamented the fact that Quebec spirits producers like him cannot yet submit applications to sell in other provinces.
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“While producers in other provinces are developing relationships with new clients, building their mailing lists, and establishing their brands in new provincial markets, Quebec producers remain excluded,” Cirka wrote in a letter to Fréchette on Aug. 6.
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“By the time Quebec eventually joins the agreement, our competitors may have gained a significant lead that will be difficult and costly to overcome,” he added.
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Fréchette has said Quebec supports the terms of the agreement, but that certain laws need to be amended before DTC sales can take effect. She said those changes can be made after the October election on Oct. 5, when the Quebec legislature resumes its session.
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National Post spoke to industry players in Quebec who felt they were excluded from the decision-making process, and to government sources who are irritated that Quebec remains the outlier.
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Fréchette’s refusal to sign the agreement was especially surprising, given that her predecessor, François Legault, had agreed to a memorandum of understanding in May 2025 to allow interprovincial sales of beer, wine and spirits within one year.
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While many provinces made significant progress during that time, Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister responsible for internal trade, opted to send a strongly-worded statement on May 29, 2026, urging all provinces to get with the program.
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“Removing interprovincial trade barriers that create unnecessary costs and limit opportunities for Canadian business and consumers alike is critical to building a more competitive, integrated, and prosperous Canadian economy,” LeBlanc said.
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“Canadians expect all orders of government to show leadership to realize this vision, and it’s time to deliver,” he concluded.
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Nine premiers signed the final agreement less than two months later, on July 21, 2026.
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One senior government official in Ontario said there is “frustration across the board” that Quebec refused to sign, but it is more acutely felt in Ontario given that Premier Doug Ford has been leading the charge on issues related to trade liberalization.
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“If this is good enough for nine out of 10 provinces, why isn’t it good for Quebec?” the official said.
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Béatrice Déry, a spokeswoman for the incumbent minister of the economy, said that, in the past year, Quebec has undertaken a process to modernize all legislation governing the alcoholic beverage sector in order to adapt it to today’s realities.