Alcoholic beverages will be allowed in select Ottawa parks this summer

A city committee has approved a pilot project to allow alcohol consumption in select Ottawa parks this summer. CTV’s Peter Szperling reports.

Parkgoers could be able to enjoy a cold alcoholic beverage in Ottawa’s parks this summer, with councillors and residents choosing the parks where beer, wine and coolers can be enjoyed.

Councillors on the community services committee approved a pilot project to allow alcohol consumption in designated areas of parks selected by councillors.

An amendment, presented by Coun. Ariel Troster Tuesday morning, said the councillor in each ward will work “in consultation with the (Public Works) general manager and their communities to identify eligible parks and decide on designating them, or not, to permit personal consumption of alcohol.”

The current bylaw prohibits alcoholic beverages in a park, except at events with a park rental permit and a special occasion permit.

• Dozens of calls about alcohol in Ottawa parks in 2024, Bylaw Services says

If approved by council, alcoholic beverages will be allowed in select parks between July 1 and Oct. 31. Under the plan, alcohol will not be allowed to be consumed at beaches, sports fields and around playground equipment.

The rules for alcohol in parks include:

• No alcohol consumption before 11 a.m. and after 9 p.m. or hours designated by the general manager.
• No person shall possess or consume alcohol within a five-metre radius of a playground or playground equipment, wading pools or splash pads or outdoor pools, beaches, parking lots, natural or artificial ice rinks, and at sports fields, sports courts and ball diamonds.

Bylaw Services director Roger Chapman says a “robust” summer student program will have 20 student bylaw officers assigned to parks for proactive enforcement.

“The proactive enforcement in the parks is really driven by complaints,” Chapman told the committee. “We keep a list of parks where we’re getting significant complaints for and that’s where we really focus our enforcement.”

Chapman says Bylaw Services is not anticipating an increase in complaints about alcohol in parks.

The city received 42 calls for open alcohol and drinking in parks in 2024, with 10 tickets issued under the Parks and Facilities Bylaw.

Troster says she wants the city to make sure other park users can access the park.

“As long as people properly dispose of their cans and are not acting in a way that is harmful to others, I really don’t care what they’re consuming,” Troster said.

“I’m happy to see this to come forward as a pilot. I want to assure my residents I’m not going to choose Dundonald Park as a site for this pilot, although people are, absolutely, consuming alcohol there and I think we should be clear about the fact that this is bylaw that is largely not being enforced unless there are other factors involved.”

Both the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) and Ottawa Public Health have raised health, safety and security concerns about allowing alcohol consumption in parks.