Item - 2014.LS30.5

In April 2014, City Council directed the City Clerk to declare a liquor licence application not in the public interest unless the applicant provided an enforceable undertaking that they would complete the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Safer Bars program and provided a letter of support from the local MPP.

This decision was made in response to a staff report from Legal Services outlining a communication received from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).  This communication indicated, in part, that the AGCO would no longer accept or enforce conditions on liquor licensed establishments that were beyond the regulatory mandate of the AGCO.

Many discussions over the past few months, culminated in a meeting which was convened on July 31, 2014, that brought together City Councillors, MPPs, City staff, and staff from the AGCO. It provided an opportunity to discuss concerns with the current challenges facing the city, the impact to business that these application criteria were having, the challenges they met in complying, and the positive progress and actions that had been undertaken.

On August 11, 2014, the Executive Director of Municipal Licensing and Standards (ML&S) received a correspondence from the AGCO, which indicated that existing conditions on liquor licences will remain in force until the City has developed a long-term strategy to address the issues surrounding restaurants, bars and entertainment establishments with liquor licences.

ML&S is in the process of establishing the "Municipal Interest in Liquor Licensing Steering Committee," which will lead a number of working groups to review and identify process, policy and/or by-law improvements related to the regulation of liquor licensed establishments. The Steering Committee and work groups will include key stakeholders such as enforcement agencies, interested Councillors, businesses and resident groups. The correspondence from the AGCO also reaffirmed their ongoing commitment to continue the ongoing collaboration and participation in the Steering Committee and work groups currently under development.

In light of this recent communication, and in support of enabling lawful business operators, this report recommends the reconsideration by City Council of the need to require liquor licence applicants to complete the Safer Bars program and to obtain a letter of support from the local provincial representative.