Province Increases Law Enforcement, Liquor Inspection in Downtown Halifax

Government will take a number of steps to make downtown Halifax safer.

The province will increase police presence in the downtown core at night. Specifically, the province will fund four more police officers with the Halifax Regional Police. The positions are in addition to the 30 new Halifax Regional Police officers funded by the province since 2006.

The province will also hire more inspectors to ensure that licensed establishments in downtown HRM are complying with provincial liquor regulations.

"We recognize that an area with a high density of liquor establishments, like downtown Halifax, may experience behaviour associated with excessive alcohol consumption," said Justice Minister Cecil Clarke. "We believe that increasing both enforcement efforts and the number of liquor inspectors in the area will go a long way toward addressing this negative behaviour."

In January, government created an Interdepartmental Committee on Alcohol Policy in Licensed Establishments. The committee heard from many stakeholders.

As a result, the Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council and the Department of Health Promotion and Protection, will work together to update the It's Good Business Responsible Beverage Service Program. The program will include more training for bar staff.

The committee also heard strong concerns regarding the lack of taxi service in downtown Halifax late at night and government will bring that to the attention of the mayor.

A decision has been made not to raise the minimum drink price in Nova Scotia. Under the Liquor Licensing Regulations, a licensee must not sell liquor for less than what it costs to purchase the liquor.

"The challenges that result from bars selling discounted drinks are, for the most part, centered around a few establishments in the HRM," said Mr. Clarke. "Ultimately, raising the minimum drink price would be doing a disservice to the great majority of establishments and communities in our province that are not experiencing any problems."

The Department of Health Promotion and Protection is working to implement an alcohol strategy to address the larger issue of harmful alcohol use. The goal is to support a cultural change so that Nova Scotians who choose to drink will do so without harming themselves, their families or their communities.

"Excessive drinking poses significant health and safety risks, not to mention the economic burden shared by all Nova Scotians," said Dr. Rob Strang, chair of the committee and Nova Scotia's chief public health officer. "We need to do more on the prevention and education side and we will, by working with partners to implement an alcohol strategy in the province."

The report of the Interdepartmental Alcohol Committee is available on the Department of Health Promotion and Protection website at www.gov.ns.ca/hpp .