Extension of Alcohol Sales and Service Hours during 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar

International events of this magnitude, which bring various cultures across Toronto to be passionately represented, offer a unique opportunity for us to continue to support small businesses in this diverse and dynamic City. The time difference between Toronto and Qatar has resulted in many early morning games that will start at 8:00AM EST. As a result, residents will patronize local cafes and restaurants earlier than usual during this period. During this time, the ability to serve alcohol one hour earlier than the provincial standard would allow business owners to benefit even more from the celebrations across the City. Under the Liquor License Act, the City may itself pass a by-law extending the hours of sale in all or part of the City by holders of licenses under the Act. To move forward with the timely implementation of the revised hours of alcohol sales and service hours, I am recommending City Council approve my recommendations.