Item - 2023.EC5.1

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1. City Council approve a time-limited Alcohol in Parks pilot program, as outlined in Attachment 1 to the report (June 23, 2023) from the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, from August 2, 2023 to October 9, 2023, in the following sites:

Park Name, Ward

• Eglinton Park, Ward 8 - Eglinton-Lawrence
• Earlscourt, Ward 9 - Davenport
• Dufferin Grove Park, Ward 9 - Davenport
• Campbell Avenue Playground and Park, Ward 9 - Davenport
• Dovercourt Park, Ward 9 - Davenport
• Roundhouse Park, Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York
• Trinity Bellwoods Park, Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York
• Christie Pits Park, Ward 11 - University-Rosedale
• Queen's Park (110 Wellesley St W), Ward 11 - University-Rosedale
• Sir Winston Churchill Park, Ward 12 - Toronto-St. Paul's
• Corktown Common, Ward 13 - Toronto Centre
• Greenwood Park, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
• Riverdale Park East, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
• Withrow Park, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
• Monarch Park, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
• Skymark Park, Ward 17 - Don Valley North
• Lee Lifeson Art Park, Ward 18 - Willowdale
• East Toronto Athletic Field, Ward 19 - Beaches-East York
• Milliken Park, Ward 23 - Scarborough North
• Neilson Park – Scarborough, Ward 25 - Scarborough-Rouge Park
• Underpass Park, Ward 13 - Toronto Centre, 29 Lower River Street
• Morningside Park, Ward 24 - Scarborough-Guildwood, 390 Morningside Avenue

2. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 608, Parks, as detailed in Attachment 2 to the report (June 23, 2023) from the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, subject to such stylistic or minor substantive changes as are deemed necessary or appropriate by the City Solicitor, to allow the time-limited pilot program described in Attachment 1 to be implemented in specified parks, as amended by Recommendation 1, above.

3. City Council direct the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation to report to the Economic and Community Development Committee on the evaluation results of the pilot in the first quarter of 2024.

In response to Council direction (2023.DM6.5), this report proposes an approach, including necessary by-law amendments, to allow responsible personal consumption of alcohol in Toronto parks on a pilot program basis from August to October 2023.

The pilot program design is based on public health guidance, public safety, operational considerations, and experiences from Canadian jurisdictions that recently implemented pilot programs. Information from Toronto Public Health is provided on the harm reduction, treatment and education programs available. The pilot will be evaluated to assess the impacts to park visitors and the surrounding community. The report recommends that staff report on the evaluation results in Q1 2024.

The parks proposed for inclusion in this pilot were arrived at in three steps. First, staff led a data-driven, technical review and generated a list of parks meeting all or most of the technical selection criteria. Next, staff reviewed the list for each City ward to short-list the most suitable pilot parks from an operational perspective. Lastly, staff met with interested councillors, to discuss the pilot and park options in their wards, leveraging councillors' local knowledge of park amenities and uses. All parks proposed for inclusion in the pilot program have been confirmed by the local councillor.