Toronto councillor to table motion making it legal to drink in parks

On a sunny day in a Toronto park, Rachel Myers is having a drink to celebrate her 24th birthday with a friend. She is not worried about getting a ticket.

Holding her can up she says, "I think it's pretty self explanatory. Everybody drinks anyway."

Currently, Myers could be fined $300 by police. Councillor Josh Matlow says the law should be changed and Rachel should be able to drink in peace.

"It's also just an archaic, ridiculous rule," Matlow said.

This week, Matlow is tabling a motion that would make it legal to drink in public spaces like a park or a beach.

"What I'm saying is, that I'm hearing from Torontonians who want to act responsibly, have a drink or two with a friend or a member of their family, and do it in an outdoor space," he said.

Matlow has tried a similar motion last year, but the pilot project was rejected in committee.

Walking around Trinity Bellwoods park Tuesday afternoon, many residents seemed to think that changing the law is the right thing to do.

"I think it's about time. I think that the law currently in place it's just antiquated, its archaic and people have been doing this for a ver long time," Tom Ruminski said.

Another resident compared allowing drinking in parks to the legalization of cannabis.

"I think it's pretty obvious that a lot of people are doing it. It's not really harming anybody," Tristan Forage said.

Ambre Le Moynge is visiting from Paris, where drinking up parks is legal. When asked if she thinks the law here is strange, she said "Yes."

"Usually when we are with friends, we usually bring beers or something to enjoy together.

While the popular sentiment may be that the current law against drinking in parks or on beaches may be out of date, there's also concern over the unintended consequences that could arise if the law were to change.

On Monday Mayor John Tory said, "we have to find a way in particular to address the big parties which have been a serious problem, resulting in a lot of complaints to my office. Even as someone who supports a slightly more flexible attitude."

In May 2020, Trinity Bellwoods Park became the scene of many large parties, often where police simply where overwhelmed.

Living across the street from the park, Mia Fernandes remembers those parties well.

"People being really rude, peeing at the houses, leaving their garbage everywhere and it used to be never like that before," she said.

Fernandes says that despite the experience, the law should allow for responsible use.

"I don't see a problem, why not. I'm from Germany and it's totally normal there to drink in public," she says.

Councillor Matlow says there are already rules in place for disorderly behaviour.

If the motion passes, drinking in parks could come as soon as this summer.