Vancouver approves pilot project to allow outdoor drinking at select city plazas

The City of Vancouver is launching a temporary, bring-your-own-booze-style pilot program to allow the public to drink outdoors at select plazas for two months.

City councillorsunanimously approved the Alcohol Consumption in Public Spaces program during a special council meeting on Wednesday.

The pilot will run from Aug. 10 to Oct. 12 at these four sites:

• xnq Xwtl'e7nk Square (Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza)
• Lot 19 at 900 Cordova St.
• Bute-Robson Plaza at 800 Bute St.
• Temporary pop-up plaza at CambieStreet and West17th Avenue

Drinking will be permitted at the Cambie Street plaza, the Bute-Robson Plaza and Lot 19 from11 a.m. to 9 p.m. PT. Consumption at xnq Xwtl'e7nk Square won't be allowed until noon, but also goes until 9 p.m.

The pilot is meant to give residents an opportunity to socialize and drink outdoors, where it's easier to stay in line with physical distancing rules. It's also designed to offer a gathering place for residents who don't have their own outdoor spaces, such as balconies, backyards or patios.

City councillors have been under pressure in recent months to provide Vancouverites with looser options around outdoor drinking, as the pandemic has made it near-impossible for groups to get together indoors without violating public health guidelines.

The plaza pilotis separate from amotionwithdrawn last monthto allowdrinking at parks and beaches. Those spacesareunder thejurisdiction of the Vancouver Park Board.

Unable to change the rules for parks and beaches, the city instead focused its efforts onplazas.

Sites are close to food, transit

The four sites included in the pilotwill be managed and monitored in partnership with local Business Improvement Associations (BIAs), according to a statement from the city on Thursday.

It said the BIAs were invited to propose suitable sites before the locations were ultimately chosen.

"Each of the spaces are in commercial areas with access to food and transit, which are key factors in promoting safety and visibility," the city said.

"The pilot locations will be monitored regularly and the data collected will also inform longer-term policy development around public spaces," it added.

The City of North Vancouver began allowingpeople to drink alcohol legally in nineparks as of last month.

In the Okanagan, Pentictonran aone-month trialallowingalcohol consumption between noon and 8 p.m. on some waterfront beaches and parks.