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saq montreal

saq

Here's every US alcohol brand disappearing from SAQ shelves amid the tariffs battle

About a month ago, the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) announced it would be pulling all U.S.-made alcohol from its stores in response to the 25% tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. As of today, that promise is finally kicking in.

The tariffs, along with Canada's planned countermeasures, were initially set to take effect in February but were delayed after a temporary agreement between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. However, negotiations have fallen through, and as of midnight on March 4, 2025, the heavy tariffs are officially in place.

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The SAQ Is Raising Prices On All Bottles, Except For Cheap Wine

Your next house party might cost you a bit more for booze. The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) just announced they're bumping up prices on most of their bottles. But it's not all gloom for the budget-conscious buyer.

Wines that don't break the $15 mark are getting a free pass from the price surge, safeguarding roughly 41% of the SAQ's stash from the uptick. Quebec's liquor retailer says the price hike is all about keeping the balance between making customers happy and making sure the organization is still making money.

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18 Red Wines Under $20 That Are The SAQ's Best-Rated

Towering walls of bottles on either side of you, your pulse is racing and sweat streams down your face. How could you possibly decide between these similar-looking, beautifully packaged red wines? What's a pinot noir? A cabernet sauvignon?

You don't even like red wine, but your new girlfriend's mom is in town and you need something that will please, if not impress — your wallet limits your choices, but your palate fears the possibility of a misstep.

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I Tested The SAQ's 5 Highest-Rated Cheap Wines On My Party Guests & There Was A Clear Winner

Wine is great, but cheap wine is sublime. After determining the five highest-rated, cheapest wines at the SAQ, I knew it was time to test my work by bringing in a team of (unpaid) test subjects to taste and review the chosen beverages. After an evening of extensive trial and revelry, we determined a final ranking of the five champion wines. The verdict? It's worth the splurge to get a red that tastes good, if you catch my drift.

The initial selection process was simple: the wines had to have over 100 ratings that averaged to above four stars, and they had to be available at the nearest large SAQ — for me, it was at the Complexe Angrignon. All five wines were easy to find, but only some were easy to drink.

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The SAQ Is Increasing Prices (AGAIN) On Hundreds Of Products

You might want to start a piggy bank for your monthly booze budget, folks. The SAQ is moving forward with price increases on over 1,400 products.

And inflation is the number one culprit, according to the Crown corporation More precisely, you can blame increased production costs for suppliers, shipping costs and the depreciation of the euro.

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The SAQ Workers' Strike Is Over But You Might Not Find Your Fave Booze For Weeks

It seems as though all we've been reading is bad news lately, so here's a little bit of good news to switch it up! As many of you have likely noticed on your recent trip to any liquor store in the province, shelves have been rather empty.

This is due to the on-and-off workers' strike that's been taking place over the past month or so, which the Société des alcools du Québec recently released an update about. And the good news is that the strike is officially over!

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The SAQ Said It 'May Take A Few Weeks' Before Everything Is Back To Normal In Its Stores

Liquor stores in Quebec have been seeing rather empty shelves recently. This is due to the on-and-off workers' strike that's been taking place over the past week or so, which the Société des alcools du Québec released an update about on Thursday, December 2.

"Last Monday, an agreement in principle was reached with the union of employees at our Montreal and Quebec City distribution centres. In the coming days, the employees will have the opportunity to vote on this agreement," read the release signed by Catherine Dagenais, president and CEO of the SAQ.

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Nearly 800 SAQ Employees Are On Strike And It's Causing Store Shelves To Go Empty (PHOTOS)

On November 22, nearly 800 Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) employees working in the warehouses and delivery have called another general strike until November 24. This strike has clearly caused a break in the supply chain and it's becoming apparent on stores' shelves — right before Christmas when people are likely hitting the SAQ the most.

The strike is also disrupting delivery to branches, restaurants, bars, grocery stores and convenience stores.

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