Ontario to (slightly) loosen liquor laws by summer: Attorney General
We’ll have that mimosa right about now, please. A couple months ago, we reported that Attorney General Chris Bentley made a point to announce that the province would consider any requests to extend bar hours for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s nuptials. Now, Bentley says that Ontario is on track to further relax its liquor laws over the next couple of months—hopefully by the time real summer weather hits. Due to overwhelming public support, his proposal to loosen Ontario’s liquor laws regarding festivals, weddings, charity events and possibly even boat cruises and patios looks like it’s going ahead.
Bentley’s proposal specifically deals with beer tents at festivals and other events: while attendees would still have to consume their alcoholic beverages within a defined area, they’d be able to wander around and do some shopping at retail stalls, drinks in hand. This means that drinking-age festival-goers can enjoy more festival offerings while drinking—we predict an uptick in impulse sales, which can’t be a bad thing for vendors.
According to the Canadian Press, Bentley also says that the government may also take a second look at restrictions on patios and boat cruises, hashing out concerns regarding the transportation of alcohol from patios to their associated establishments. Even the Ontario Provincial Police are on board with the proposal, after having initial concerns about encouraging underage drinking and creating an unsafe environment at crowded events. We can’t help but applaud these changes, even if cynics (like NDP leader Andrea Horwath) dismiss them as nothing more than vote-buying.
• Ontario on track to loosen liquor laws by summer: Attorney General [Canadian Press]
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