U.S. booze sales in Manitoba raise $2.6M for charities

$2.6M has been raised from the sale of U.S. liquor in Manitoba, and the province is donating some of the money to charity.

Manitobans spent millions of dollars to get their hands on some American booze, and now the province is donating a chunk of that money to charities.

On Friday, the Manitoba government announced it is donating $2.6 million from the sale of American liquor products. This comes as the province put its back stock of U.S. booze back on shelves temporarily.

“Manitobans embraced this initiative with their typical generosity of spirit, and folks can feel good knowing their money helped to make this holiday season brighter for families who need it most,” Premier Wab Kinew said in a news release.

“We know keeping American liquor off the shelves has impacted the fight against President Trump’s tariffs, but we’re glad to see this inventory used to generate a little holiday spirit rather than languish in a warehouse.”

The province has not said how much it has made in total from the sale of American liquor products so far.

For a while, it was unclear how much the province would actually be donating to charity. When the premier first announced the program, he anticipated $1M of U.S. alcohol products would be sold and said half would be going to charity.

Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries also noted up to $500,000 would be donated.

When sales far exceeded the province’s expectations, CTV News asked if donations to the charities would be increased and was told simply that the province had committed to $500,000 in revenue for holiday charities.

Now, the premier says the province is donating more than five times that amount.

Of the $2.6 million, the province said $1 million is going to the Winnipeg Christmas Cheer Board to help with the delivery of Christmas hampers and other donations to families.

Manitoba Harvest is getting $500,000, with another $500,000 going to Brandon charities like the Brandon-Westman Christmas Cheer Registry.

The remaining funds, the province said, will be donated to Helping Hands Centre of Brandon, the Boys and Girls Club of Thompson and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Inc.

The province said it will continue to sell the remaining inventory of U.S. liquor products and will expand the sales beyond the selected Liquor Marts. It noted the proceeds from the sales will continue to be donated to charity.

The province has previously said U.S. alcohol products will be on sale until Dec. 24.