Reducing Problems Through Municipal Alcohol Policies: the Canadian experiment in Ontario

In Canada, policy governing the consumption of alcohol is administered by provincial governments. The province of Ontario grants municipalities the local option to sell or not sell alcohol. Increasingly, Ontario municipalities are applying this option to their municipally-owned or managed facilities in an attempt to reduce problems related to alcohol use. These facilities include indoor facilities such as arenas, community centres, community halls, and senior centres, as well as outdoor recreational areas such as parks, beaches, stadia, and sports fields where alcohol may be served at specially licensed social and recreational events. These events are usually operated by inexperienced volunteers who, at times, serve participants to intoxication. This contributes to vandalism, fights, injuries, and impaired driving arid other problems. Such occurrences not only result in license suspensions and criminal charges, but also in use of police time and in civil litigation. This paper will describe the policy model being recommended to Ontario communities—cities, towns, villages, and townships. It will also report on the progress that has been made to date in developing policies in municipalities, initial perceptions of the municipal staff about the impact of the policy on alcohol-related problems and on the rental of facilities.