A Toronto Nightclub Just Got Its Liquor Licence Suspended After A Recent Shooting
The AGCO is looking to revoke their liquor licence.
EFS nightclub in downtown Toronto.
EFS nightclub in Toronto can't sell cocktails, shots, or other alcoholic drinks because their liquor licence just got suspended.
In a news release on Friday, July 29, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that they immediately suspended the King Street West nightclub's liquor licence until further notice.
This means that EFS Social Club isn't legally allowed to sell or serve any alcohol while this suspension is in place, and the suspension might even turn permanent.
"Under the authority of the Liquor Licence and Control Act (LLCA), the Deputy Registrar has also issued a Notice of Proposal (NOP) to revoke the liquor licence of EFS Social Club for allegedly breaching a condition of its liquor licence," AGCO officials wrote.
Anyone who holds a liquor licence in Ontario and fails to follow the rules under the LLCA could face regulatory action, pay a "monetary penalty," or when it is really serious, have their licence revoked entirely, according to the AGCO.
"Those who hold liquor licences in Ontario are required to operate with honesty and integrity," AGCO CEO, Tom Mungham, said in the release.
"[..] in cases that involve a significant breach impacting the public interest, the AGCO will take strong regulatory action to protect the public."
The popular nightclub could get its licence revoked because of what happened during the recent fatal shooting that took place inside, in the early morning hours of July 17.
According to Toronto police, Pardeep Brar, a 26-year-old man from Brampton, had suffered life-threatening injuries and died in the hospital. A 24-year-old woman faced non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released from the hospital.
The AGCO said that there is a condition under the LLCA that requires licence holders to have at least one security person at each entrance with a metal detector on them so that they can run it on every single person who goes inside — "with no exception."
The commission had reviewed surveillance footage from that night, and they have "reason to believe" that EFS wasn't following this rule.
"Holding a liquor licence comes with legal obligations and a licence holder is required to abide by all conditions of the licence," the news release reads.