Drink up, Ontario!From alcohol in parks to earlier serving hours at restaurants and even the return of happy hour, there were plenty of new measures aimed at quenching drinkers’ thirst in Thursday’s provincial budget.The measures come on top of the government’s announcement earlier this week that it would allow alcohol at tailgate parties outside sports events.The most visible change for most drinkers is that municipalities will be delegated the ability to allow drinking in their parks and recreational areas.By this summer, you could be sipping a glass of wine — and not furtively — with your picnic at Trinity Bellwoods Park, or having a cold beer on the bench to celebrate after rounding the bases following your home run at the company slo-pitch game.“After 80 years of Prohibition, this is a breath of fresh air,” said Thomas Wilson, owner of Caledon-based Spirit Tree Estate Cidery.Read more:Winners and losers of the 2019 Ontario budgetOntario finance minister introduces record $163.4 billion budgetEditorial | Doug Ford’s first budget for Ontario tries to have it both ways“Now on a nice sunny day, you’ll be able to go to the park and have a beer or glass of wine. Instead of hiding it, you’ll just be able to enjoy it,” said Ken Woods, president of Etobicoke’s Black Oak Brewing.“I am pretty happy about being treated as an adult & never having to be harrassed again by law enforcement for having a beer in Trinity Bellwoods, on a beach or at a softball game,” tweeted Mike Collins WilliamsMayor Tory has said this is something he wouldn’t be opposed to before, said Don Peat, his spokesperson. In his budget reaction speech today, Tory did welcome the move to give municipalities greater latitude when it comes to alcohol service, but noted that will need to be balanced with community safety. He believes it is right that local governments have the ability to make those decisio ...
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