New Brunswick's provincial liquor agency has resumed deliveries to Campobello Island after a truck carrying mail, milk and roughly 1,000 bottles of alcohol was stopped at the U.S. border last week.
Route and interruption
Campobello's sole land connection to the rest of Canada is via a bridge to Maine followed by an approximately 80-kilometre drive through the United States to the Canadian border crossing at St. Stephen, N.B. That geography means routine deliveries to the island can be affected by actions taken by U.S. border officials.
| Leg | Details |
|---|---|
| Bridge to mainland | Campobello Island connects to Lubec, Maine, by bridge |
| Drive through U.S. | About 80 km to St. Stephen, N.B., border crossing |
| Alternative | Private ferry service to the island (seasonal) |
What happened
The truck was stopped at the border last Tuesday while transporting mail, milk and the alcohol shipment. The halt came after a U.S. ban on Canadian liquor imports took effect the same day; that measure is part of the ongoing trade dispute begun by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to agency statements.
NB Liquor spokesperson Marie-Andrée Bolduc told InfoRadar by email that the agency had been looking for alternative ways to deliver products to the island, but the search is no longer necessary because deliveries have resumed.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to requests asking whether there had been a formal change in how shipments to Campobello are being treated at the border.
Short-term fix and local impact
The truck that was stopped eventually reached Campobello using a private ferry service. That ferry operation, however, is scheduled to end for the season later this month, raising questions about the reliability of future deliveries if cross-border restrictions persist.
- Residents rely on a route that crosses the U.S., making them vulnerable to U.S. border policy changes.
- NB Liquor had explored alternatives but reports the immediate delivery issue is resolved.
- The private ferry provided a temporary workaround; seasonal end of service may complicate future logistics.
For now, consumers on Campobello can expect NB Liquor shipments to continue, but the episode highlights how municipal services and retail supplies to border-connected communities can be affected by international trade and border enforcement decisions.
