Licensing

The Liquor Licence Act and its Regulations provide the Registrar with the authority for regulating and licensing liquor sales licences, ferment-on-premise facility licences, liquor delivery service licences, manufacturer’s licences and manufacturer’s representative licences.

The AGCO is also responsible for overseeing the administration of Special Occasion Permits (SOPs), which are required for occasional private events (such as weddings and receptions) or public events (such as community festivals), where beverage alcohol will be served and/or sold to the public. As of May 29, 2017, the AGCO began moving away from paper-based applications and SOP applicants were able to apply online, directly from the AGCO’s iAGCO online portal. As of April 1, 2018, paper was eliminated and all applications for a SOP are made online through the iAGCO online portal. 

TABLE 12 – Total Number of Liquor Licences and Special Occasion Permits

 

2017-18

2018-19

Liquor Sales Licensed Establishments

18,468

17,126

Ferment-on-Premise Facilities

551

491

Liquor Delivery Services

378

305

Manufacturers

694

722

Manufacturers’ Representatives

1,002

864

Total liquor licences

21,113

19,508

Special Occasion Permits issued

66,329

64,251

 

 

TABLE 13 – Compliance Services Inspections – Alcohol

 

2017-18

2018-19

Inspections of licensed premises

20,755

14,769

Contraventions of Ontario’s liquor laws

5,013

3,064

Serious occurrences escalated for further review

403

145

 

VQA Wine Sales at Farmers’ Markets

As of March 31, 2019, there were 133 wineries selling their fruit wine, honey wine, maple wine or VQA wine at 207 Ontario Farmers’ Markets.

TABLE 14 – Notices of Proposal (NOPs) and Orders of Monetary Penalty (Alcohol)

If the Registrar proposes to refuse, revoke or suspend a licence, the Registrar must serve an NOP on the applicant/licensee outlining the reasons for the proposed action. Applicants/licensees who dispute an NOP issued by the Registrar may appeal the proposal to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT).

 

2017-18

2018-2019

Notices of Proposal

  • - Applications (new, change, transfer)
  • - Disciplinary (suspend and/or add conditions, revoke)
  • - Premises closed (revoke licence)
  • - Other

 

 

 

320

 

 

 

271

Orders of Monetary Penalty

91

59

 

TABLE 15 – Alcohol Advertising Complaints Reviewed

 

2017-18

2018-19

Alcohol advertising complaints reviewed

7

3