Section 7: Submitting a Tailgate Event Permit Application

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APPLICANT INFORMATION

An applicant must be 19 years of age or older to obtain a Tailgate Event Permit. If the applicant is an organization, association or company, the application must be completed by a member or representative who will be at least 19 years of age at the time of the event, who has signing authority for the organization, association or company. Applicants must provide all information, materials, documentation or approvals as may be requested.

RESPONSIBLE PERSON(S)

The permit holder/responsible person must be present throughout the tailgate event and is responsible for the safety of people attending the event. They must ensure the event is run in compliance with the Liquor Licence and Control Act, its regulations and the standards and requirements established by the Registrar.

The permit holder/responsible person indicated on the application will be noted on the permit. If there is more than one responsible person, all must be named and at least one of the persons named must be present at the SOP event at all times.

The permit holder or, if applicable, designate shall make the permit available for inspection upon request.

NOTE: If the permit holder/responsible person is unable to attend, it is the responsibility of the permit holder to designate in writing someone to attend the permit event on their behalf. The designated person is responsible for ensuring that all legal requirements for the permit event are met. The designated person must not be someone who has previously been refused a permit by the AGCO.

EVENT NAME, LOCATION AND DETAILS

As part of the application, the permit holder will be required to provide details related to the tailgate event, including the:

  • Event Name (e.g. Toronto Argos Fan Tailgate Party)

  • Location Name (e.g. Stadium/Field parking lot, name of building/property where the tailgate event will be held)

  • Address of the tailgate event location. (If the address of the proposed location for the tailgate event is unknown (e.g. parking lot), please use an address as close to the proposed location as possible).

Note: If the event is being held at various locations (whether it is on the same day or over the course of several days), a separate permit is required for each location/address.

DATES AND TIMES OF EVENT

Liquor may only be sold, served and/or consumed during the hours specified on the permit.

Note: The tailgate event can begin/continue beyond hours specified on your permit, however, the sale, service and/or consumption of liquor is limited to the time authorized on the permit.

A Tailgate Event Permit will be effective on the same day as the sporting event to which the tailgate event is connected, and the hours must be between 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on any day except New Year’s Eve (December 31) where hours may be between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. the following day.

Date(s): Indicate the date on which the tailgate event will take place. If the event runs into the following day (e.g. until 2:00 a.m.), indicate the first day (e.g. if the event begins April 9th at 7:00 p.m. and ends April 10th at 2:00 a.m. it should indicate “April 9”).

Start Time: Indicate the time at which the sale, service and/or consumption of liquor will begin.

End Time: Indicate the time at which the sale, service and/or consumption of liquor will end. Please note that the signs of liquor must be cleared no later than 45 minutes after the end of the serving period (e.g. if your permit indicates an end time of 4:00 p.m., all liquor and signs of service and/or consumption must be cleared by 4:45 p.m.).

MULTIPLE DAY EVENTS 

A single permit may be issued for multiple day events if the nature, purpose, location and target audience of the event or activity are the same for each day, and as a result of doing so, the permit holder is not operating an ongoing business, or does not appear to be doing so.


SPORTING EVENT INFORMATION

All tailgate events be must held in connection with, and in proximity to, a professional, semi-professional or post-secondary sporting event in Ontario.

The applicant be required to provide the following information about the live sporting event: 

  1. Type of sport 

  2. Category (i.e. Professional, semi-professional or post-secondary)

  3. Governing body or league (e.g., Canadian Football League (CFL), National Basketball Association (NBA))

  4. Date, time and location of the sporting event

  5. Name of participating teams  

If the applicant is applying for more than one tailgate event in the application, the must provide the above information about the sporting event connected with each tailgate event date.

TAILGATE EVENT LOCATION 

The applicant must provide a description of the outdoor area where the tailgate event will be held. Please use specific descriptions (e.g. parking lot, park, fenced area) and name of the area, if applicable.  

The applicant must indicate in the application whether liquor will be sold, served or consumed in tents, marquees, pavilions or tiered seating areas (e.g. bleacher seating, stadium-type seating, seating arranged in sloping tiers).The location/area where the tailgate event is to take place must meet the following requirements:

  • The permit/location area where liquor will be sold, served or consumed must be outdoors and at the ground level.

  • The permit location/area where liquor will be sold/served/consumed must be readily distinguishable from adjacent areas where the permit does not apply. This means that all areas that are not part of the permit area must be clearly and visibly separated from those areas covered under the Tailgate Event Permit.

  • A premise used as a dwelling, not including the common areas of a multiple unit residential building, shall not be used for the sale, service or consumption of liquor under a permit.

  • The location may not be in a dry area if liquor is to be sold at the event. A dry area is an area/municipality where liquor is not sold.

  • The location cannot be disqualified as set out in the LLCA.

The permit holder will be required to confirm that they are authorized to use the proposed permit area for the tailgate event.

VEHICLES IN THE PERMIT AREA

Under a tailgate event permit, permit holders may allow vehicles to enter and park within the permit area (i.e. a tailgate event taking place in a parking lot).

Permit holders are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of patrons attending the event.

ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE

Indicate how many people are expected to attend the event per day.

SALE OF LIQUOR

This question must be answered “yes” if money will be collected for liquor either directly, through the sale of liquor or drink tickets at the event (e.g. cash bar, sale of drink tickets), or indirectly through an admission charge that covers liquor (e.g. drink tickets included with admission) or the collection of money for liquor before the event.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

The following documents will be required for the application:

  • Detailed Sketch - A detailed sketch showing the dimensions of the tailgate event area for which the permit will apply. If there are tents, marquees, pavilions or tiered seating, please include them within the sketch.
    Example:
    sop-tailgate-outdoor-schematic.png

  • Notification Letters - Copies of letters sent to the local municipal clerk’s department, police, fire and health departments informing them of the outdoor event. As well as, a copy of the letter sent to the local building department if a tent, marquee, pavilion or tiered seating is used within the permitted area.  

Note: Supplementary documents may be provided to support the review of the application.