Trying to find details on Toronto party/gathering bylaws

May 13, 2006 11:10 AM

My wife is hosting a baby shower for a mother-to-be that wants 50 people to be invited (she's even providing the list). But I have heard that here in Toronto, you need to have a permit for private gatherings of more than 25 where alcohol will be served. We can't find any detailed information on this though. Anyone know where to look, or know the answer?
posted by iTristan to Law & Government (7 answers total)

I'm from Toronto and I've never heard of such a bylaw. But I did a bit of searching (for 'Toronto alcohol permit') and found some reference to the Special Occasion Permit, which may be what you've been thinking of.

Read The Beer Store's website. Permits are not required if the party takes place in a private residence. Or, even if its not a residence but a 'private place' that's 'not normally open to the public', you're fine as long as the alcohol comes from a licensed caterer and it is 'served, not sold'.
posted by PercussivePaul at 11:33 AM on May 13, 2006

If you are talking about a "Special Occasion Permit," it appears that you don't need one if your gathering is at a private residence or the "attached property" (i.e. front or back yard), but this link provides details and has some numbers you can call.
posted by dersins at 11:35 AM on May 13, 2006

Uh, or what PercussivePaul wrote...

I should really use preview, dammit...
posted by dersins at 11:36 AM on May 13, 2006

Thanks all. Appreciate it.

So no one's heard of a specific number-of-guests restriction then I take it? Aside from the permit, my main concern was this supposed restriction on guests.
posted by iTristan at 12:20 PM on May 13, 2006

The LCBO's official page on permits which is, sadly, less useful and clear than the Beer Store's. There's no mention of number there, either. It's really the location that matters, not the number of people.
posted by jacquilynne at 3:54 PM on May 13, 2006

Unless you get rowdy and the neighbors complain to the cops, what the government doesn't know won't hurt you.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 3:59 PM on May 13, 2006

Yeh. As long as you're not charging money and it's a private residence, it's a party, and AFAIK they have no right to require anything.

However, if there's money involved..
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 8:07 AM on May 14, 2006