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Saskatchewan to impose 50% tax on US alcohol in retaliation

The province's measure follows US tariffs on Canadian alcohol, with implementation set for September 8.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published
Saskatchewan to impose 50% tax on US alcohol in retaliation

What this story says

  • Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced a 50% reciprocal tax on alcohol imported from the United States.
  • The tax will take effect on September 8, directly responding to US tariffs imposed on Canadian alcohol on August 22.
  • Sales of American liquor in Saskatchewan have decreased by 40% since the US tariffs were enacted.
  • The Saskatchewan NDP has called for American alcohol to be removed from store shelves.

Who covered it

Left 53%(9)Centre 47%(8)Right 0%(0)

Percentages are shares of the 17 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. Coverage measured .

Trust

42/100

Craft

57/100

Hype

41/100

17 sources · methodology

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced that his government will implement a 50% reciprocal tax on alcohol originating from the United States. This trade measure is scheduled to take effect on September 8. The decision follows the implementation of US tariffs on August 22, which imposed a 50% tax on Canadian alcohol.

Moe stated that the province's sales of American liquor have already declined by 40%. He indicated that his government is not considering removing US alcohol from store shelves, emphasizing a commitment to consumer choice. He also discussed the broader trade war, noting that while his government supports selected counter-tariffs, it draws a line at export tariffs on potash and oil due to their potential impact on jobs and the economy. Moe expressed a desire for both American and Canadian governments to return to negotiations to find a path forward for a trade agreement.

Divergent views on store shelves

The Saskatchewan NDP has called on the premier to remove American alcohol from store shelves. However, Premier Moe stated that his government is adamant on leaving the choice up to consumers, viewing this as a core value. He believes this approach sends a stronger message than a government-ordered ban.

What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports mentioned the Saskatchewan NDP's specific call for the premier to take American alcohol off of store shelves to be in line with the majority of other provinces and provide a 'clear timeline and immediate supports' for affected industries and workers. The full report from CTV News did include this statement from the opposition.

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 26 Aug 2026, 21:00, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

9 rated outlets

  • Left-rated reports led on Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's announcement of a 50% reciprocal tax on US alcohol, set to begin September 8. These reports noted the measure is in response to US tariffs on Canadian alcohol. They also highlighted that sales of American liquor in Saskatchewan have dropped by 40%. The Saskatchewan NDP's call for the premier to remove American alcohol from store shelves was also a prominent point in these reports. The full report from CTV News stated Moe's position that his government is adamant on leaving the choice up to consumers and that this sends a stronger message than a ban.

Centre

8 rated outlets

  • Centre-rated reports focused on Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's announcement of a 50% tax on US alcohol, to be implemented on September 8 as retaliation for US tariffs on Canadian alcohol. These reports mentioned the 40% decrease in sales of American liquor in Saskatchewan. The full report from CTV News detailed Moe's comments on consumer choice and his government's stance against removing US alcohol from shelves. These reports also included Moe's broader comments on trade policy, including his views on export tariffs for potash and oil and the need for negotiation.

Right

0 rated outlets

No outlet rated right has run this story so far. We are still checking, and will say plainly if that does not change.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Saskatchewan to impose 50% tax on US alcohol in retaliation?
Of the 17 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 53% are rated left, 47% are rated centre, 0% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Saskatchewan to impose 50% tax on US alcohol in retaliation left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 17 rated outlets on this story, 53% are rated left, 47% are rated centre, 0% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Saskatchewan to impose 50% tax on US alcohol in retaliation biased?
Saskatchewan to impose 50% tax on US alcohol in retaliation is one event reported by 17 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Saskatchewan to impose 50% tax on US alcohol in retaliation?
17 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What is Saskatchewan doing in response to US tariffs?
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced that the province will impose a 50% reciprocal tax on alcohol from the United States. This measure is a direct response to US tariffs that were placed on Canadian alcohol.
When will the new tax on US alcohol take effect?
The 50% reciprocal tax on alcohol from the United States will be implemented on September 8. This date was announced by Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.
How has the US tariff affected sales of American alcohol in Saskatchewan?
According to Premier Scott Moe, sales of American liquor in Saskatchewan have already decreased by 40% since the United States implemented its tariffs on Canadian alcohol.

Read it at the source

17 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

9
Show 1 more

Centre

8

Right

0

No outlet in this group ran the story.

Not rated

0

No outlet in this group ran the story.

How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

Saskatchewan taxes US alcohol | MediaBias News