Ontario is making changes to tailgating, now called "bring-your-own" rules for public events.
You may recall that the Government proposed changes in the fall through a regulatory registry posting. As a result, effective April 30, 2026, O. Reg. 747/21: Permits under the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, has been amended to expand bring-your-own permits for municipally-designated cultural or community outdoor public events. The expanded permit will allow people who attend these events to bring their own alcohol for consumption in designated areas.
For a bring-your-own permit to be issued, municipalities must have passed a bylaw authorizing the use of alcohol in public (if they do not already have one). A municipality must also designate the public event as a cultural or community event. Event organizers can then apply for a bring-your-own permit through the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Before April 30, municipalities with or considering a bylaw authorizing the use of alcohol in public may wish to establish a local process to determine whether an event qualifies as a cultural or community event for municipal designation, and how a designation would occur.