Bars, pubs and cafes in Toronto will be allowed to start selling alcohol from 6 a.m. for the next few weeks as council looks to capitalize on the Winter Olympics hype.
Italy will officially host the Winter Olympics between Feb. 6 and Feb. 22, with curling beginning Wednesday ahead of the official games.
Under normal rules, licensed businesses can sell and serve alcohol between 9 a.m. and 2 a.m., with the exception of New Year’s Eve when the period is extended to 3 a.m.
The city has previously loosened alcohol sale hours for sporting events, including during the Olympic Games in 2014 and 2018.
The six-hour time difference between Italy and Canada means many of the events will take place during the morning in Toronto before bars are generally allowed to sell booze.
A report tabled by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow for Wednesday’s council meeting could change that, moving alcohol sales to begin at 6 a.m. for most of February.
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“People will want to patronize local cafes and restaurants earlier than standard operating hours,” the mayor’s report argues. “For restaurants who wish to open and serve customers, the City should do everything we can to support these local businesses.”
The plan was approved by council on Wednesday.
It’s a move the Ontario Restaurant Hotel Motel Association supported in a letter to city council, urging them to support the idea.
The mayor said it was an opportunity for the city to help boost the struggling hospitality sector.
“As a city, we should not get in the way of small businesses in our community — pubs and cafes —showcasing the games,” Chow told reporters.
She said she was concerned about allowing people to begin drinking in public before sunrise.
“I don’t think people would mind having a pint,” Chow said. “They might just get off work, or they might want to watch the game together.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
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