Under the Liquor Licence and Control Act, passed in 2019, one is required to obtain a license in order to sell alcohol. With this license comes certain responsibilities that the licensee is obligated to follow. If violations occur, it can result in serious penalties.
Common Liquor License Violations and Punishments
It is important to not overserve people who seem to be intoxicated. Doing so will result in serious consequences. If someone is served who appears to be intoxicated, it can result in a $50,000 fine for the licensee. In addition, the licensee can be held liable for any damages. For instance, if someone is killed or seriously injured by an intoxicated individual, the victim or the victim’s family can take legal action against the business that supplied the alcohol.
Another common violation under the act is serving alcohol to underage individuals. In Ontario, the legal drinking age is 19 years of age. If someone under the age of 19 is served alcohol, it can result in monetary fines.
- If liquor is sold to someone who is under the age of 19, it can result in a fine up to $100,000
- If liquor is sold to an underage individual and consumed within the licensee’s premise, it can also result in a fine up to $100,000
- If the liquor is sold to someone who appears to be under the age of 19 and their identification is not checked, a fine up to $15,000 can be issued
Also a noteworthy source of violations is the time period liquor can and cannot be sold. Liquor can only be sold from 9am until 2am. However, there is an exception to this. On December 31st and January 1st, liquor can be sold from 9am until 3am. If liquor is sold outside of this these time periods, it can result in a fine up to $15,000.
In addition to these fines, if the liquor violation is serious enough, the license can be revoked or suspended.
It is important to note that the above violations are only common violations. There are many more violations and penalties that can be found within the Liquor License and Control Act.
What Happens if You Are Fined?
If a Notice of Proposal or an Order of Monetary Penalty is received, it may be appealed. In order to do so, you must request a hearing with the Licence Appeal Tribunal within 15 days of the notice being served.
If you are charged under the Liquor Licence and Control Act or served with a notice or monetary order, it is essential that you have experienced lawyers you can trust. Contact our office today at (905) 541-2228 or fill out a form for a free consultation.
