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 municipalit ies the local option to sell or not sell alcohol. Increasingly, Ontari o municipalities are applying this option to their municipally-owned o r managed facilities in an attempt to reduce problems related to alcoh ol use. These facilities include indoor facilities such as arenas, com munity centres, community halls, and senior centres, as well as outdoo r recreational areas such as parks, beaches, stadia, and spouts fields where alcohol may be served at specially licensed social and recreati onal events. These events are usually operated by inexperienced volunt eers who, at times, serve participants to intoxication. This contribut es to vandalism, fights, injuries, and impaired driving and other prob lems. Such occurrences not only result in license suspensions and crim inal 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 repo rt on the progress that has been made to date in developing policies i n municipalities, initial perceptions of the municipal staff about the impact of the policy on alcohol-related problems and on the rental of facilities.