September 24, 2026
Hon. Sylvia Jones
Minister of Health, Government of Ontario
sylvia.jones@ontario.ca
Dear Minister Jones,
Re: Recommendations for Municipalities on Ontario’s Bring Your Own Beverage (BYOB) Legislation
On behalf of the Lakelands Public Health (LPH) Board of Health, we are writing to formally communicate our recommendation that municipalities within the LPH region refrain from developing bylaws to implement Ontario's Bring Your Own Beverage (BYOB) legislation.
Alcohol is the most widely used substance in the province, with approximately 8 in 10 Ontarians aged 15 years and older reporting alcohol use. Alcohol is also a leading cause of thousands of preventable deaths, emergency department visits and hospitalization annually.
In recent years, Ontario has expanded alcohol availability through retail and alcohol related policies. The introduction of alcohol sales in select Ontario grocery stores at the end of 2015 represented a significant expansion of alcohol availability. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario introduced policies that permitted alcohol take-out and delivery from licensed establishments, sales and service on docked boats, lower minimum alcohol delivery fees and extended hours for alcohol sales in authorized grocery and alcohol stores. Further expansion in 2024 allowed eligible grocery and convenient stores to sell beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages. Ontario now exceeds the 2.0 per 10,000 maximum retail density recommended by Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE).
The expansion of alcohol sales in Ontario in 2015 alone was associated with a 17.8% increase in emergency department visits attributable to alcohol, which was more than twice the rate of increase for all emergency department visits over this period. Alcohol related Emergency Department visits in Lakelands Public Health region rose more than 17% from 2020 to 2024.
Economic policies such as BYOB are designed to support local tourism and hospitality sectors, however, it will also increase visibility and normalization. Limiting alcohol availability through policy can help reduce a municipality’s exposure to alcohol-related health and social costs, for example, pressures on policing, paramedic services, bylaw enforcement, parks operations, and municipal risk management. Health Canada (2024) notes that exposure to alcohol in public and family-oriented settings can influence attitudes toward drinking, particularly among youth and young adults. Research among Ontarians aged 19–24 found that alcohol is commonly perceived as an integral part of festivals and community celebrations, with associated harms often minimized or overlooked.
Alcohol-related harms are a significant and growing burden on communities. An expansion of public alcohol consumption through BYOB events has the potential to increase health and social harms and costs related to alcohol use without proper mitigation in place. Lakelands Public Health recommends that the Province encourage municipalities to work with local public health agencies to ensure public health considerations are incorporated into any policy.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Deputy Mayor Ron Black
Chair, Board of Health
/ag
Encl.: WECHU Letter, May 25, 2026
cc: Local MPPs
Ontario Boards of Health
Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa)