Toronto to look at pilot program allowing drinking in parks this summer
Posted March 29, 2023 5:10 pm.
Last Updated March 29, 2023 5:19 pm.
Toronto is once again looking into allowing people to drink alcohol in city parks.
Councillors Shelley Carroll and Chris Moise tabled a motion on Wednesday asking city staff to conduct a pilot program this summer at select parks across the city.
The councillors say the motion reflects the growing interest in allowing drinking in parks which began during the pandemic as a safer alternative to indoor gatherings.
City staff are being asked to draw on best practices from similar programs in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, and come up with the best solution for Toronto.
The councillors say the pilot would be conducted on an opt-in basis across the respective wards.
“This sensible pilot approach recognizes the desire of many in the community to drink responsibly while respecting that not all parks or neighbourhoods might be optimal locations for such uses,” said Carroll.
If the motion is adopted, the pilot could begin as early as July 1 and run until October 9.
Last May, city councillor Josh Matlow proposed allowing people to drink beer and wine with an alcohol content below 15 per cent in parks and beaches with bathrooms. Consumption would only be permitted between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. and similar to smoking laws, drinking would be prohibited around playgrounds and sports fields.
However, councillors opted to defer the issue until 2023 after former mayor John Tory called on city staff to study the issue further.
Currently, anyone caught with an open alcohol container in a city park faces a fine of up to $300.
