Toronto Is Making It Legal To Drink In These City Parks & You Don't Have To Be Sneaky Anymore

You'll soon be able to drink in public at over two dozen parks around the city of Toronto, from Trinity Bellwoods to Queen's Park.

Legally, that is. Because surely you've never done that before on a hot summer day in Toronto, right?

City officials approved a plan this week to legally allow people of age to drink alcohol in select parks around Toronto beginning August 2, in a move that's sure to change very little at certain parks around the city.

Trinity Bellwoods, for instance, is an infamous boozy hangout spot every summer, and this simply opens the door for people to keep doing what they do without worrying about getting the occasional ticket. In fact, city officials told the Canadian Press that no one has been ticketed for illegal drinking in parks so far this year, so it sounds like everyone's given up on trying to stop it.

The new rules (or lack of) will come into effect as a pilot program that will run from August 2 until October 9, 2023.

"The pilot is based on public health guidance, public safety and operational considerations, and other Canadian cities' experiences with similar programs," the city said in a news release.

Officials say it's still illegal to be intoxicated in public or to give alcohol to someone under 19. They also added that you still need a permit and a licence to sell or serve alcohol in any park, and bylaw enforcement officers will still be going around to make sure these rules are followed.

Toronto officials first proposed this plan back in May after seeing how it's worked in cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. However, the idea has been floating around at city council for a few years.

Enforcement of the no-drinking rules has been up and down over the years, with officers occasionally cracking down on holiday weekends over the years.

That won't be the case this year when the August long weekend rolls around.

The pilot program was originally planned to include 20 different parks, but that list has since grown to 27 parks.

The city says it will evaluate the pilot program early next year before making a call on whether to repeat it or make it permanent.

So just... keep doing what you're doing!

Narcity does not condone the overconsumption of alcohol or other substances. If you're going to drink alcohol or consume cannabis, please do so responsibly and only if you're of legal age.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.