Alcohol Control Policy in Canada

Abstract

Alcohol controls have been a controversial and rapidly changing aspect of public policy in Canada. In the past, the temperance sentiment was so important in Ontario that elections of government were won or lost because of it. As alcohol policies become liberalized, they also become much less important politically. However, public controversy still surrounds the minimal drinking age, alcohol advertising, and whether beer and wine should be sold in grocery stores. Alcohol control policies are complex in Canada, with laws and regulations varying by province and over time in the same province. This chapter describes the background of controls in Canada, their current status and rationale, and the controversy surrounding them.