Vancouver extends drinking in plazas program until at least May 2025
Cheers, Vancouverites—city council voted to extend the Drinking in Public Plazas Program for another year.
That means residents and visitors alike can continue to drink alcoholic beverages at six designated outdoor spots year-round, and another during the warmer months.
“The program has operated for four successful years in Vancouver, providing residents and visitors with safe, no-cost options where they can socialize, connect and enjoy alcoholic drinks responsibly,” reads a statement from the city.
The program was first introduced in 2020 during the pandemic so people without access to private outdoor spaces could drink and socialize outside. It was then piloted again in 2021, and became permanent in 2022.
Last year, city council voted to make six of the approved plazas year-round drinking spots.
“We are thrilled to support the extension of the Drinking in Public Plazas Program and we remain committed to supporting vibrant public spaces here in Vancouver,” said Mayor Ken Sim in a statement Wednesday.
“A huge component of the program’s success are the plaza and community stewards who care for these spaces daily. I want to extend a personal note of gratitude to the stewards for all that they do to ensure these plazas serve as places for community connection, diverse public life and responsible drinking,” he continued.
The stewards include various business improvement associations from the respective neighbourhoods the plazas are located in.
The 2024/2025 year-round plazas are located at:
- Cambie Street and 17th Avenue
- Cambie Street and 18th Avenue
- Granville St and 13th Avenue
- Granville St and 14th Avenue
- Lot 19, 855 West Hastings St.
- Main Street and 21st Avenue
The seventh plaza—at Maple Street and 4th Avenue—will be open from May 15 to Oct. 31.
From May 15 to October 16, drinking at the spaces is permitted between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., while from October 17 to May 14, 2025, drinking is allowed from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The participating locations were chosen due to proximity to amenities like public washrooms.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Man involved in Dartmouth, N.S., emergency alert earlier this week turns himself in
A 49-year-old man has been charged in connection with an alleged assault that happened earlier this week in Dartmouth, N.S.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Imagine living in a 4-foot body that doesn't develop chronic diseases
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
'Oh, there you go': Tyler Black, son of veteran broadcaster Rod Black, has memorable Major League Baseball debut
Canadian baseball player Tyler Black made a major splash in his first-ever big league game for the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night.
Groundbreaking American guitarist Duane Eddy dies age 86
Guitarist Duane Eddy, best known for twangy riffs on hits such as 'Rebel Rouser' and 'Cannonball,' has died at the age of 86.
Facial reconstruction reveals what a 40-something Neanderthal woman may have looked like
Scientists studying a Neanderthal woman's remains have painstakingly pieced together her skull from 200 bone fragments to understand what she may have looked like.