It could become easier to drink alcohol in Toronto parks. Here’s what’s changing
Global News
The City of Toronto looks set to expand and make permanent its alcohol in parks pilot. A new, full-time plan will allow drinking in at least one park in every council ward.
Just over a year after Toronto launched a pilot to legalize drinking in city parks, the results are in and alcohol outdoors looks set to expand.
A city staff report assessing the results of the 2023 pilot, which allowed drinks like wine and beer in 27 city parks, found the project was met with high satisfaction.
The report said a majority of survey respondents reported feeling safe at parks where drinking was briefly allowed, there was no increase in hospital emergency department visits due to alcohol, there was no spike in calls to police and those who chose to drink at a park were considerate of those around them.
At a committee meeting on Thursday, Toronto councillors decided the positive results merited permanent approval. Under a policy approved by the committee, every ward will have at least one park where drinking is allowed.
“What we want to do here is say, ‘This is policy-making,’ the councillor has an oversight role, but I don’t believe that councillors should be sort of saying yes or no on whether a policy will apply in their ward,” Coun. Alejandra Bravo, chair of the economic development committee, said.
“If it’s a good policy, then everybody should be participating.”
The initial pilot operated on an opt-out basis, leaving swaths of the city without a legal outdoor drinking space. The entirety of Etobicoke, for example, did not have a park where drinking alcohol was allowed.
Howie Dayton, the parks, forestry and recreation manager, said the city should adopt a policy that doesn’t change from one area to another.