01/03/2026
Think your beer is Canadian? We did the math, and the results are… complicated. 🍺🇨🇦
Let’s be honest, standing in the beer aisle these days is confusing. Every bottle seems to wave a maple leaf flag, but are they actually local?
We decided to dig into the biggest brands sold in Canada to see who actually owns them, where they are brewed, and most importantly—where the profits end up.
Check out the infographic for the full visual breakdown, but here is the deep dive on how Canadian your brew really is.
Tier 1: The True North (The Real Deal) These are the heroes. 100% Canadian-owned, 100% Canadian-made, and every cent of profit stays in the country.
At the top of the list is Moosehead, the last major independent family brewery in Canada. They’ve survived fires and explosions since 1867 to stay independent.
We also have Toronto’s Steam Whistle, brewing right at the Roundhouse with Canadian ingredients, and Saskatoon’s Original 16 (Great Western). Great Western was literally saved by 16 employees who pooled their money to keep the brewery open and save local jobs out West. These guys get a perfect 5/5 Maple Leaf score.
Tier 2: The Historic Hybrids (It’s Complicated) This tier is tricky. These brands have deep Canadian roots and employ thousands of Canadian factory workers, but the ownership has gone global.
Molson Canadian is a massive employer here, but since the merger with Coors, half their HQ is in Chicago. And Sleeman? It’s a historic Canadian family recipe brewed in Guelph, Ontario, but the company was bought by Sapporo (Japan) back in 2006. The jobs are here, but the big profits go overseas.
Tier 3: The American Illusion (The Gotcha) This is probably the biggest surprise for most people. You see people drinking "American" beer, but guess what? It’s almost all brewed right here in Canada to dodge import tariffs.
Your Budweiser, Miller Lite, and even the hipster-favourite Pabst Blue Ribbon (which is brewed under contract by Sleeman in Ontario!) are made by Canadian workers in Canadian factories. The downside? They are 100% foreign-owned, so the money leaves the country immediately.
Tier 4: The True Imports (The Visitors) At the bottom, we have the true imports. If you buy a Samuel Adams or a Corona, you are paying for foreign ingredients, foreign labour, and international shipping. They have zero contribution to Canadian manufacturing.
The "More Canadian Than You Think" List Our graphic only had room for the giants, but Canada has an incredible independent craft beer scene. If you want to ensure your money stays 100% local, you can’t go wrong with Tier 1, or amazing independent regional breweries like these:
Phillips Brewing & Malting (BC)
Big Rock Brewery (AB)
Half Pints Brewing (MB)
Collective Arts Brewing (ON)
Beau’s All Natural (ON)
McAuslan Brewing (St-Ambroise) (QC)
Garrison Brewing (NS)
Quidi Vidi Brewing (NL)
(And hundreds more local taprooms across the country!)
Next time you're grabbing a cold one, take a second look at the label to make sure your dollars are helping as many Canadians as possible! Cheers!
