The Grey Bruce Health Unit is backing a request for a formal review of proposed changes to the Ontario Liquor Licence Act.
The Province is looking to boost tourism and make it easier for the hospitality industry to operate competitively by relaxing liquor laws.
Ontario is looking at extending the hours liquor is allowed to be served at public and private functions, as well as relaxing liquor boundaries at public festivals.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit will petition the province to conduct a formal review of the health and economic impact of alcohol in Ontario, and develop a provincial alcohol strategy.
Medical Officer of Health, Doctor Hazel Lynn says the issue is particularily relevant in our region.
Doctor Lynn says Grey Bruce is well above the provincial average in binge drinking and hazardous alcohol use rates, and she argues relaxing liquor laws will likely worsen those problems.
Those issues, coupled with a lack of public transit in the region, will likely also lead to an increase in drunk driving rates, argues Doctor Lynn.
She says the government is a bit too focused on the economic aspect of this proposal, and they haven’t fully weighed the health impacts.
A formal review will be brought forward at the next Association of Public Health Agencies meeting, held June 10th to the 12th in Toronto.
