May 24, 2024
CAMH is disappointed that the provincial government has chosen convenience over the health and wellbeing of Ontarians. There are already more than 6,000 alcohol-attributable deaths a year in Ontario, and the changes announced today will significantly increase this number.
The main driver of alcohol-related harm is convenience. Decades of research show that increased ease of access leads to more consumption and, in turn, more harm. Young people – children, adolescents, and young adults – are among the most affected. Alcohol-related harms include an increase in alcohol dependence, chronic diseases, injuries, violence, suicide, mental health concerns, and social issues like intimate partner violence and impaired driving.
There are still steps the provincial government could take that would mitigate the harms of this planned expansion. The province allowed municipalities to opt out of hosting cannabis stores, and it should allow them to opt out of this system as well. The province also required that cannabis stores not be allowed within 150 metres of a school or daycare. Applying this to alcohol is a fundamental and necessary social responsibility measure.
We are also deeply troubled that the province appears to be eliminating the public notice requirement for liquor licence applications. This process offers local residents an opportunity to respond to applications and to voice any concerns or objections within a given time period. This measure was in place in recognition of the fact that some areas are simply not appropriate places to sell or serve alcohol. Removing it prevents communities, neighbourhoods, and families from having a say in their own health and safety and that of their children.
There is a misconception that with this change, Ontario is simply catching up with the rest of the world. In actuality, Ontario will have one of the more liberal alcohol retail systems in Canada. Meanwhile countries across Europe have been tightening their alcohol rules in recent years, having learned the hard way that alcohol is not an ordinary product.
We hope the provincial government will reconsider the scale of this plan. Our health system is already overburdened, and hundreds of people visit an emergency department in this province solely due to alcohol every single day. The changes announced today will only add to that burden. CAMH remains committed to working with government to tackle alcohol-related harms and improve mental health in Ontario.