Troubled Peace Bridge Duty Free, one of Canada’s largest duty free land border retailers, is under new ownership. Under the name The Duty Free at Peace Bridge, the store is now run by a new company formed by the owners of Importations Guay Ltée, which operates three other duty free stores in Quebec.
Peace Bridge Duty Free, located in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, across from Buffalo, New York, entered receivership in April 2025, as it struggled to pay off millions of dollars in debt.
Justin Guay, president of the new Ontario operation, tells TMI that The Duty Free at Peace Bridge opened for business at the beginning of June.
“The previous operation ended in receivership in April 2025, during a period that challenged Duty Free across Canada and the United States. The receivership ceased operations on May 31, of this year,” says Guay.
“Our company, The Duty Free at Peace Bridge, began operating on June 1 after winning a public tender put out by the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority.”
Guay is the third generation of his family operating duty free stores on the Canadian land border, which also have three shops in Quebec under the IGL Duty Free banner.
Its main store is located in St. Bernardde-Lacolle, Quebec, between Montreal and New York. IGL also runs Boutique Hors Taxes l’Est in Stanstead, Quebec, which is located between Montreal and Boston, and Boutique Hors Taxes de Stanhope in Dixville, Quebec, between Sherbrooke and Boston.
Importations Guay Ltée is recognized as one of the best land border duty free stores in the world, and was awarded the Frontier Award for Border, Downtown, or Port Retailer of the Year in in 2022.
Guay says the Ontario store is open for business. The new owners have made minor renovations, but plan to fully renovate in the near future. For now, they are fixing some back walls and updating signage.
A highlight of the new ownership is the opening of a 24-hour café, says Guay.
“We are adding a 24-hour food and beverage service to this location that will provide items made fresh today. We have hired a chef who has over 20 years of experience working for some of Canada’s largest food retailers as a Certified Culinary Nutritionist. He will create locally-sourced grab-and-go meals that are memorable and healthy which we feel is exactly what passengers and families need when traveling on the highway,” says Guay.
The Duty Free at Peace Bridge is also deploying a marketing strategy that is uniquely themed to this location, says Guay.
“Our most important focus will be on the customer experience and redefining what a border shop can be,” he says.
The Duty Free at Peace Bridge has maintained most of the staff which previously worked at Peace Bridge Duty Free while also bringing in duty free veterans from IGL’s other stores.
“We brought in a few of our really seasoned folks, one person from IGL, and one person from Stanstead to be at home base here. The major news is that we have hired Sherri Gidney to be a part of our team to direct operations. Her experience in the spirits category is exceptional, and we feel that she is a perfect match for this location,” says Guay.
Gidney is transitioning from her role as Sales Director at Wine Classics International.
Guay says he is optimistic for what the future holds for The Duty Free at Peace Bridge.
“The bridge here told me that the traffic is equal to 2024 and is increasing right now. There are a few challenges, but we’re around the corner to being normal again. This store is going to be an exciting place to be and place to stop and shop.”
