Toronto may allow alcohol in parks this summer. Here's what some residents and city councillors think

Toronto is again considering allowing people to drink alcohol in city parks in a pilot program that could run from July 1 to Oct. 9.

City councillors Chris Moise and Shelley Carroll tabled the motion on Wednesday, asking city staff to consider the program. 

It all comes down to equity, Moise told CBC Toronto. 

"We need to provide spaces for everyone who so chooses to drink responsibly," he said. "Alcohol sales are legal in this province and we are just [trying to provide] a safe space for people to use the product that is legal."

The pilot is meant to address what the councillors describe in a news release as, "a growing interest to allow drinking in parks that began during the pandemic as a safer alternative to indoor gathering." They have asked city staff to develop best practices for the program by looking at other Canadian cities, including Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, which have previously introduced similar programs. 

If it goes forward, the pilot would give each city councillor the choice to opt into the program for their respective ward.

Gavin Armstrong owns a condo on Dovercourt Road, a couple of blocks away from Trinity Bellwoods Park.

He told CBC Toronto he uses the park regularly as he doesn't have any outdoor space of his own. 

"I think it's a great idea to let people responsibly consume alcohol in parks," he said. "It's just an affordable and social way to get together over the summer."

Neighbour Marina Ford, who lives a few blocks away on the other side of the same park, is a little more hesitant.

"I don't really have any general objection to it, except that it's going to be the rowdies that ruin it for everyone," she said.

"Families that come and have a glass of wine or beer with their food while the kids play is one thing, but.younger kids gathering in large groups and drinking beer and leaving their bottles and throwing them and smashing them is dangerous for dogs and kids and people."

Councillor to push back on proposed opt-in policy

Coun. Josh Matlow, who recently announced his plans to run in the upcoming mayoral election, has introduced similar motions in the past, including one last year. 

At the time, councillors voted to defer the motion until this year to give city staff more time to study the issue further.

Matlow told CBC Toronto he still supports the idea. 

"Not everybody in the city has a backyard," he said. "And while it's nice for people who own houses who can have a glass of wine with a friend … that doesn't ring true for a lot of people who live in apartments." 

However, Matlow also plans to propose an amendment to the motion's opt-in policy. 

"We shouldn't be discriminating based on geography in that way," he said "That's silly and unnecessary."

In general, he feels that resources would be better spent going towards people who are behaving badly, rather than people having a drink or two with their friends. 

But Coun. James Pasternak says that more resources will be needed if the pilot goes forward. 

"Our parks are there for the quiet enjoyment of residents of Toronto," he told CBC News. "We don't have the resources to clean up broken bottles, to enforce the consumption of alcohol, or to break up any kind of fights or any kind of inappropriate behaviour in our parks."

Pasternak also expressed concern that the pilot could contribute to issues of substance abuse and alcoholism.

Moreover, he pointed out people can currently drink in city parks as long as they've received a permit to do so. 

"Drinking is not banned in the city of Toronto," Pasterank said. "It's just highly regulated."

The motion was originally scheduled to be discussed by city council on March 31 but was held for a future meeting.