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Smiths Falls, Ont., is officially opting out of a bring-your-own-alcohol program announced by the province in March.
Under the provincial program, event organizers can apply for a permit to allow people to bring their own booze to outdoor cultural or community events.
But before a permit can be granted, the municipality must must first pass a bylaw authorizing alcohol consumption in public spaces, and establish a local process to determine the community or cultural relevance of each event.
On June 8, councillors in Smiths Falls unanimously agreed with a staff recommendation against passing such a bylaw. On Monday, the decision got final approval.
“We want to make sure there is a buffer around parks and playgrounds and sports fields,” explained Stephanie Clark, the town’s director of community services. “And when you open up alcohol consumption in those spaces, it can muddy the lines.”
The staff report report listed various reasons for rejecting the policy, including a lack of dedicated enforcement staff.
Liability, insurance among concerns
Clark said business owners and event organizers were also cautious about the BYOB policy.
“Why would you as an event organizer bring on that risk? Insurance is incredibly expensive for a lot of folks, and it’s becoming more and more difficult to obtain,” she said.
Smiths Falls isn’t the first municipality in the region to decide against passing a bylaw needed to access Ontario’s expanded BYOB program. Acting on advice from their own staff, councillors in neighbouring Perth also voted against passing a bylaw on April 21.
“It increases our liability risks, and there’s also insufficient staffing capacity to support the implementation,” said Cathy McNally, Perth’s director of community services.
CBC also reached out to Renfrew and Carleton Place regarding each town’s stance on the BYOB policy. In an email, Carleton Place’s director of community services, Diana Knight, said the town is aware of the issue but has not fully reviewed it.
Clark said she wouldn’t rule the possibility of Smiths Falls revisiting the issue in the future. For the time being, she said the town is monitoring how things unfold in other municipalities.
“I’m willing to be the guinea pig or the litmus test on a lot of new legislation, just not this,” she said.