Sector Spotlight: Beer
July 27, 2025
Beer has long been part of Canada’s social and cultural identity. From Saturday hockey nights to Canada Day barbecues, the familiar names of Molson, Labatt, and Sleeman have felt almost inseparable from Canadian life. For generations, these labels were not just beverages; they were symbols of national character and regional pride.
Today, however, most of the big-name brands that Canadians grew up with are no longer Canadian-owned.
- Molson is part of the U.S.-based Molson Coors conglomerate.
- Labatt belongs to AB InBev, a Belgium-based global beer giant.
- Sleeman is owned by Sapporo Breweries of Japan.
- Craft labels that were once proudly independent—like Creemore Springs and Mill Street—have also been absorbed into these global portfolios.
- Alexander Keith’s, an east coast classic, sits firmly under Labatt/AB InBev as well.
Most of these beers are still brewed in Canada, employing Canadians and paying Canadian taxes. But ownership matters, and for many Canadians it stings to know that the brands they associate with home now answer to boardrooms abroad.
How Did This Happen?
The consolidation of Canada’s brewing industry began decades before foreign ownership entered the picture. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, small regional breweries were being acquired or outcompeted by a few dominant players—primarily Molson and Labatt. These two companies controlled the vast majority of the domestic market by the 1990s, leaving little room for competition.
Molson, founded in 1786 in Montreal, is the oldest brewery in North America and a company older than Canada itself. It grew from a single riverside brewery serving soldiers and settlers into a national symbol—its “I Am Canadian” campaign in the late 1990s becoming part of the cultural lexicon. Labatt, established in 1847 in London, Ontario, followed a similar trajectory, expanding regionally and then nationally, fueled by iconic brands like Blue and 50, which once dominated Canadian beer taps.
Globalization accelerated the shift. When North American free trade took hold in the late 1980s and 1990s, Canadian brewing became increasingly exposed to global capital. Molson merged with U.S.-based Coors in 2005, creating a continental giant. Labatt, already owned by Interbrew of Belgium, eventually became part of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewing conglomerate. Sleeman, founded in Guelph, Ontario, in 1834 and famous for its prohibition-era smuggling history, managed to survive into the 21st century as a strong independent before being acquired by Japan’s Sapporo Breweries in 2006.
By the early 2010s, Canada’s mainstream beer sector was effectively controlled by multinational corporations. Today, Molson Coors and AB InBev together account for roughly two-thirds of all beer sales in Canada, according to Beer Canada industry data.
What’s Still Canadian?
Not every brewery has been swallowed by global conglomerates. Some remain proudly Canadian-owned and have scaled beyond a single local market:
- Moosehead (Saint John, New Brunswick) – Canada’s oldest independent brewery, family-owned since 1867. Moosehead has grown into a national player and owns Hop City Brewing Co., its craft-focused division launched in 2009, as well as value brand James Ready.
- Steam Whistle (Toronto, Ontario) – Founded in 2000 and still Canadian-owned, Steam Whistle has expanded beyond its flagship pilsner to include Von Bugle Munich Lager and now controls Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company, which it acquired in 2022.
- Big Rock Brewery (Calgary, Alberta) – One of Canada’s first major craft breweries (est. 1985), Big Rock pioneered the craft movement in Western Canada and remains Canadian-owned, operating regional production facilities and distributing widely across the West and into Ontario.
Beyond these national-scale independents, Canada’s craft brewing sector has exploded: there are now over 1,100 craft breweries nationwide, contributing an estimated $2 billion annually to the economy. Many source Canadian barley and hops, support local farmers, and prioritize sustainable production.
For Canadians who care about ownership, this presents an opportunity. Choosing Moosehead or Steam Whistle over Molson Canadian keeps profits and strategic decisions in Canada. Going one step further and supporting local craft breweries—whether it’s a neighbourhood microbrewery or a regional favourite—ensures that beer dollars directly support Canadian entrepreneurship. The labels may have changed hands, but Canada’s passion for brewing remains rooted here, and supporting independent and craft beer is one of the clearest ways for consumers to keep Canadian brewing Canadian.
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