You Can Now Purchase Alcohol For Delivery & Takeout From Restaurants, Bars In Ontario

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Alcohol stored behind the bar of a local restaurant in this file photo.

Residents of Ontario will be temporarily allowed to purchase alcohol, together with food, through takeout and delivery orders from licenced restaurants and bars under a change to provincial regulation announced Thursday by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

“The Government has amended Regulation 719 under the Liquor Licence Act (LLA) to temporarily allow liquor sales licensees (i.e., licensed bars and restaurants) to sell beer, wine and spirits as part of a food order for takeout or delivery,” the AGCO said Thursday.

Under the new changes, liquor purchased for takeout or delivery must be purchased together with food, must be in a sealed, unopened container, must be purchased or delivered between the hours of 9:00am and 11:00pm, and may not be purchased by or delivered to anyone under 19 years old or by anyone who is intoxicated.

The AGCO says all restaurants and bars with liquor licences are automatically permitted to begin selling liquor for takeout or delivery, together with food, and licenced establishments will not need to apply, request permission, or notify the AGCO.

The AGCO says liquor can be delivered from restaurants and bars by third parties such as food delivery services or ordering platforms, provided they are acting on behalf of a liquor-licenced establishment.

Under the new changes, anyone involved in the sale or delivery of liquor must complete Smart Serve training, but the Government of Ontario will allow third party delivery drivers to delivery liquor immediately providing they complete Smart Serve certification by April 25th.

Deliveries must meet responsible sale and service requirements, according to the AGCO, including keeping detailed records of liquor sales, asking for ID where necessary, delivering only to residential addresses and delivering only to a person who paid for the liquor, or to another person at the same address over the age of 19.

The changes take effective immediately and will last until December 31st, 2020.