Eased alcohol rules safe
As the province relaxes restrictions on alcohol consumption for the upcoming summer season at Ontario's parks, some areas that have imposed temporary, long-weekend booze bans will still be allowed to take such measures, officials said.
"Alcohol remains restricted in locations that may pose safety risks, and additional restrictions may be enforced based on local needs and safety concerns," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
In previous years, White Lake Provincial Park near White River has imposed alcohol bans for the May long weekend, due to a history of drunkenness and rowdy behaviour during that holiday.
Last week, the ministry said park visitors and campers of legal drinking age will no longer be ticketed for drinking alcohol off campsites, and will be able to drink on beaches and picnic grounds and some other areas that had previously been off-limits to booze.
"As families and friends gather for picnics or unwind after a long day on the trails, updated rules around where alcohol can be consumed are intended to improve the overall park experience and support local tourism, while continuing to prioritize safety," Environment and Parks Minister Todd McCarthy said in a news release.
"Existing rules still apply for unsafe or unlawful behaviour, including public intoxication, underage possession or consumption, and having open or improperly stored alcohol in a motor vehicle or boat," the news release added.
Supporters of increased alcohol use in provincial parks, including the Ontario Craft Brewers Association, welcome the changes.
"Nothing goes together better than a day outdoors with craft beer from one of Ontario's 330 locally owned breweries," association president Scott Simmons said in the provincial news release.
Some southern Ontario provincial parks currently sell alcohol; the province will be adding four more parks, also in the south, to that list for the 2026 season, the ministry said.
Alcohol use in park areas poses risks: health official
The Conservative government's focus on "modernizing alcohol rules" in support of local tourism continues to trouble public health officials.
"In environments such as provincial parks, alcohol use may increase risks related to activities such as swimming, boating, and hiking, where impairment can contribute to injury or drowning," Dr. Kit Ngan Young Hoon, the Northwestern Health Unit's medical officer of health, said this week in an email.
"Increased visibility of alcohol in shared recreational spaces may also contribute to the normalization of alcohol use around children and youth," Young Hoon added.
Alcohol-related harms remain particularly concerning in Northwestern Ontario, the health unit said.
In the Northwestern Health Unit's jurisdiction, nearly 22 per cent of surveyed adults said they drink heavily compared to the provincial average of 16 per cent, a health unit backgrounder said.
The ministry says that at the province's parks, "clear signage" will identify "areas that will remain alcohol-free, such as sites of cultural or historical significance, buildings where food and drink are already restricted and areas that may pose significant safety risks."
More than 13 million people "visit" Ontario's parks each year, a ministry backgrounder says.
