There are calls to halt the use of Special Occasion permits to sell alcohol at fundraisers staged by non-profit groups.
With the weather warming up, City officials are being urged to tighten up the Special Occasion alcohol permit for non-profit groups who may be abusing their fundraising use to stage large parties.
A motion by Councillor Chris Moise on April 22 calls for more oversight of the Special Occasion Permits for non-profits due to complaints from residents.
A special occasion permit lets the holder sell alcohol at private or public events attended by many people.
“In recent months, my office along with several of my colleagues have experienced a surge in concerns around public safety, dangerous overcrowding, and noise complaints stemming from certain non-profit organizations hosting large-scale rave parties,” according to Moise’s motion.
A City councillor is calling for more enforcement in the use of the permits to stage raves and large parties for some profit parties.
He said the Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGC) of Ontario issues the permits without requiring the organizations to notify municipal authorities.
It creates ‘a regulatory gap that allows potentially problematic events to proceed unchecked.’
Moise said while a majority of non-profit events contribute positively to our community, a few have exploited regulatory exemptions, undermining the public trust and safety that these guidelines are intended to protect.
He is calling on the AGC to include municipalities in the approval process the permits and that a complaint process be set up to address grievances and that non-complaint events be swiftly dealt with.
“We aim to preserve the integrity of non-profit events while safeguarding public safety and community welfare,” according to the motion.
A group called Save Our Raves Toronto claims to have almost 7,000 residents in support of less oversight for raves or public parties.
“There are fewer and fewer opportunities for people to come together, dance, and maybe have a drink,” group officials said. “These spaces are vital to creating an enjoyable city to live in, creating platforms for local emerging artists, and deepening community connections.”
They said a nightlife economy contributes billions of dollars to the City and employs more than 300,000 Torontonians.
The issue has to be considered by City Council.