Lets get right to the heart of Canada's complex interprovincial alcohol trade barriers.
In short, the provinces that have more liberalized alcohol retail (like Alberta) often have a much wider selection, and they sometimes allow single-bottle ordering through their local retailers.
However, the major hurdle is that Ontario's regulations prevent the shipping of that single bottle to you.
Here is a breakdown of the situation regarding interprovincial alcohol ordering:
1. The Interprovincial Shipping Barrier
The key issue is not what other provinces sell, but what Ontario allows to be imported.
The Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act (a federal law, though largely upheld by provincial regulation) generally dictates that liquor shipped into any province, including Ontario, must be imported by the provincial liquor board (the LCBO) or a body authorized by it.
The Supreme Court of Canada decision in R. v. Comeau (2018) upheld the ability of provinces to restrict the importation of alcohol beyond certain personal limits.
This means: While an Alberta retailer might be willing to sell you a single bottle, most common shipping carriers (like Canada Post, UPS, or FedEx) will not ship it to an individual in Ontario, as it would violate Ontario's liquor laws. The LCBO explicitly states that they are the only gateway for importing alcoholic beverages into Ontario.
2. The Best Alternative Options
Since direct shipping from another province to your home is legally restricted in Ontario, your main alternatives remain:
| Option | Pros | Cons & Caveats |
| LCBO Private Order | Legal and official path. Handles all taxes/duties. | Requires case ordering (typically 6 or 12 bottles of the same product), expensive, and can take a long time. |
| Travel to Alberta (or other province) | You can purchase a single bottle from any private retailer in that province. Alberta has no provincial liquor board monopoly and an excellent selection. | Requires you to physically travel to the province to purchase it. Bringing it back falls under the personal limit exemption (e.g., you must transport it yourself). |
| Use a Cross-Border Courier/Pickup (Informal) | Some people near the Ontario/Quebec or Ontario/Manitoba borders attempt to use third-party pickup services in the neighbouring province, but this still requires the product to be shipped to an address outside of Ontario. | Still legally gray or restricted for the shipper, and requires a trip to the border to pick it up. |
3. A Future Change? (Direct-to-Consumer Sales)
There is a major effort underway to remove these interprovincial trade barriers.
Nine provinces and one territory have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding to advance Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) alcohol sales from producers (distilleries, wineries, etc.) in other provinces.
The goal is for this to be implemented by May 2026.
Crucially: This change primarily targets allowing producers (distilleries, wineries) to ship directly to consumers in another province, not necessarily retailers. You are seeking a specific scotch, which would come from a retailer/distributor, not likely the distillery itself.
An Ontario resident and current laws, the LCBO Private Ordering process is the only fully legal and official route to import a product, despite the minimum case requirement.
