Update on Alcohol in Parks Pilot - by Councillor Shelley Carroll, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise

The Public Gallery wrote no story on this item. What follows is the city’s own record of what happened to it, as filed: nothing on this page is summarised or scored by us.

The decision

2023-03-29 · Toronto City Council · deferred

As filed

City Council on March 29, 30, and 31, 2023, deferred Item MM5.46 to the May 10, 11, and 12, 2023 meeting of City Council.

The vote

Introduce Motion without Notice · Carried, 19-5

For (19)Amber Morley, Anthony Perruzza, Brad Bradford, Chris Moise, Dianne Saxe, Frances Nunziata, Gary Crawford, Jamaal Myers, James Pasternak, Jennifer McKelvie, Jon Burnside, Josh Matlow, Lily Cheng, Michael Thompson, Nick Mantas, Paul Ainslie, Paula Fletcher, Shelley Carroll, Vincent Crisanti

Against (5)Alejandra Bravo, Ausma Malik, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, Stephen Holyday

Absent (1)Mike Colle

The whole record, all 25 members

Every name opens that member’s record.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

Across the country, major cities are piloting various programs to allow alcohol consumption in public parks. In Toronto, alcohol in parks is illegal but largely unenforced: No tickets were issued in 2022. Following the lead of these cities and acknowledging the desire for options to drink in public parks, this Motion directs staff to undertake an opt-in pilot program this summer, in line with the best practices of other Canadian cities.

Show the rest of As the city filed it, 524 more characters as filed

Throughout implementation, City staff shall engage with City Councillors, local neighbourhoods, and equity-deserving communities across the city as they evaluate the pilot's suitability for the Toronto context. This pilot needs to centre a public health and harm-reduction approach, and the evaluation should enumerate the full needs of the program including access to washrooms, waste receptacles, and necessary clean-up efforts. Reason for urgency: staff need direction now in order to implement bylaw changes this summer.

Staff recommended

Councillor Shelley Carroll, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise, recommend that: 1. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consult City Councillors on their interest in hosting a pilot in their wards and to work with interested Councillors to confirm an appropriate pilot for responsible personal alcohol consumption in their respective wards. 2. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, the City Solicitor and the Medical Officer of Health: a.

Show the rest of Staff recommended, 563 more characters as filed

to report to the May 31, 2023 Economic and Community Development Committee meeting with a recommended approach, including necessary bylaw amendments, for allowing responsible personal consumption of alcohol in Toronto parks on a pilot program basis, running from July 1, 2023 to October 9, 2023; and b. to take the appropriate research and consultation steps to ensure that the pilot is informed by relevant experiences and best practices of other Canadian jurisdictions and reflects public health, public safety, enforcement, operational and cost considerations.

On the record

The item as the City filed it

More from this meeting

The whole meeting