We are deeply concerned about the Ontario government’s plan to expand retail alcohol sales by up to 400%. Evidence shows that the expansion of alcohol availability, especially through private retail outlets, results in increased consumption and ultimately more alcohol-attributable hospitalizations, diseases, and deaths. We’ve seen these harms play out in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada.
We are encouraged by the government’s commitment to maintaining existing requirements related to staff training, minimum pricing, hours of sale and warning signs to all new retail outlets. We look forward to working with government to recommend further steps that could be taken to mitigate the harms of increased availability, particularly for youth.
Emphasizing convenience will come at the expense of the health of Ontarians. A slower, staged rollout could help reduce some of these harms. CAMH is committed to working with government on how these changes are implemented.