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HomeMy WebLinkAboutADM 310 Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring-Your-Own Event PermitsPolicy Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number ADM 310 Reference Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 O.Reg 747/21 Resolution #984/26 Date Originated (m/d/y) April 27, 2026 Date Revised (m/d/y) Pages 10 Approval: Chief Administrative Officer Point of Contact City Clerk Policy Objective The purpose of this Policy is to establish a clear, consistent, and transparent framework for how the City reviews and designates events as Municipally Significant or events that are of Cultural or Community significance, for applications to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) for Special Occasion (SOP) or Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Permits. This Policy outlines the information applicants must provide, the criteria used to assess event eligibility, and the roles and responsibilities of City Departments involved in the review process. Designation under this Policy is solely for the purpose of facilitating AGCO permit applications and does not constitute broader approval, endorsement, or authorization by the City. Index 01 Definitions 02 Roles & Responsibilities 03 General 04 Municipally Significant Events 05 Cultural or Community Event (BYO Event Permit) 06 Application Requirements 07 Review & Decision Process 08 Changes, Conditions & Limitations 01 Definitions 01.01 AGCO - means the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 2 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 01.02 Applicant - means the party requesting designation of a Municipally Significant Event and/or Cultural or Community Event. 01.03 Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Event - means a public event that is held at an outdoor premises that is at ground level, where the event is held in connection with and in proximity to a professional, semi-professional or post-secondary sporting event, or, has been designated by a municipal council or its delegate as a cultural or community event, and, at which individuals may possess and consume liquor brought to the premises by attendees. 01.04 Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Event Permit - means a permit issued by the AGCO for Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Events at which attendees aged 19 or older may bring and consume their own alcohol. Events may be “Sale” or “No‑Sale” as determined and permitted by the AGCO. 01.05 City - means The Corporation of the City of Pickering. 01.06 City Clerk - means the Clerk for The Corporation of the City of Pickering (or their designate). 01.07 Cultural or Community Event - means a public event that demonstrates cultural, artistic, educational, recreational, or community value and may be eligible for a Bring-Your-Own (BYO) Event Permit. 01.08 Designation Letter - means a letter issued by the City Clerk confirming that an event has been designated as either a Municipally Significant Event (for a Special Occasion Permit) or a Cultural or Community Event (for BYO Event Permit), for submission to the AGCO as part of the Applicant’s permit application. 01.09 Municipally Significant Event - means a one‑time, annual, or infrequently occurring public event with predetermined opening and closing times that: a) has local, regional, national, or international historical or cultural significance; b) builds awareness of diverse cultures; c) promotes social, cultural, or economic development of the City; or, d) benefits the community at large. 01.10 Public Event Special Occasion Permit (SOP) - means a permit issued by the AGCO which allows for the sale and service of alcohol on special occasions. Public Event SOPs can be issued to registered charities, non-profit organizations whose purpose is to promote charitable, educational, religious or community objectives, or for Municipally Significant Events. Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 3 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 02 Roles & Responsibilities 02.01 Chief Administrative Officer: a) support this Policy and amendments as required. 02.02 City Clerk or designate: a) receive and review all applications for designation to ensure they are complete and meet the requirements outlined in this Policy; b) circulate complete applications to all relevant City Departments for review, comment, and identification of required conditions; c) assess applications using the criteria established in this Policy and determine whether an event qualifies for a Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community designation; d) issue Designation Letters for approved applications for submission to the AGCO; e) notify Applicants in writing of approvals, required conditions, or reasons for refusal; and, f) rescind municipal designations when required permits, safety requirements, or policy conditions are no longer satisfied. 02.03 Community Services: a) ensures compliance of public events on City property have satisfied all requirements under the CUL 070 – Community Festival & Events Policy, and where required, have complied with all facility booking requirements; and, b) confirm whether events on City property comply with the City’s Municipal Alcohol Policy. 02.04 Fire Services: a) review applications for fire safety, hazards, and compliance with applicable codes. 02.05 Municipal Law Enforcement: a) review applications for compliance with noise, parking and other municipal by‑laws. Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 4 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 02.06 City Development: a) review applications for zoning and other planning and Building Code requirements. 03 General 03.01 The City is not obligated to designate any event as a Municipally Significant, Cultural, or Community Event. Designation is strictly limited to events that meet the criteria in the definitions in this Policy in connection with applications for a Public Event Special Occasion Permit or a Bring‑Your‑Own (BYO) Event Permit. Designation as a Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Event does not constitute any other form of endorsement, approval, or authorization of the event by the City. Conducting the event in a manner that is safe, legal, and in compliance with all relevant legislation, laws, by-laws, policies, and any other obligations remains the sole responsibility of the Applicant and any other parties undertaking to conduct the event. Only the AGCO has the authority to grant the right to sell and serve alcohol, and designation as a Municipally Significant , Cultural or Community Event does not, in and of itself, confer any authorization to sell and serve alcohol. 03.02 All requests for the Designation Letter must comply with this Policy and it is the sole responsibility of the Applicant to comply with this Policy. An Applicant is required to provide true and complete information in a timely manner. Applicants are also responsible for answering any questions, addressing any concerns, and complying with any requests for further information by the City Clerk, any City department or City division, or any other party that is circulated on applications for a Designation Letter. 03.03 The City Clerk, or their designate, has delegated authority to declare events as Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Events. All Designation Letters shall be copied to Members of Council, Fire Services, City Development, Community Services, and the Municipal Law Enforcement Division. 04 Municipally Significant Events 04.01 An event may be designated as a Municipally Significant Event where it satisfies the criteria set out in this Policy. The City Clerk may request additional information from the Applicant to confirm eligibility. 04.02 Events typically eligible for designation include, but are not limited to: a) community festivals; b) charitable fundraisers; c) arts and cultural events; Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 5 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 d) sports events held in otherwise unlicensed venues; and, e) large-scale or signature events that enhance the City’s cultural, economic, or community profile. 04.03 Events generally not eligible for designation include: a) strictly commercial or profit-driven events (e.g., trade shows or vendor exhibitions); b) private, invitation-only functions; and, c) events lacking demonstrable community benefit. 05 Cultural or Community Event (BYO Event Permit) 05.01 A Cultural or Community Event Designation Letter may be issued where an event meets the definition in Section 01.07 and qualifies as a public, outdoor, ground-level event at which attendees aged 19 or older may bring and consume their own alcohol. Events may be “Sale” or “No Sale” BYO Events as determined by the AGCO. 05.02 Events typically eligible for a Cultural or Community Event designation include, but are not limited to: a) outdoor movie screenings; b) street markets; c) arts and crafts shows; d) free outdoor concerts; e) fairs; f) neighbourhood sports tournaments; g) public performances (i.e., theatre); h) farmers markets; and, i) international or religious festivals. 05.03 BYO Events held in connection with and in proximity to a professional, semiprofessional, or postsecondary sporting event may qualify directly under the AGCO’s sports-related BYO category and do not require a Cultural or Community designation from the City. Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 6 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 05.04 Applicants must provide sufficient detail to demonstrate how the event meets the definition in Section 01.07 and the Cultural/Community Event criteria, including purpose and the expected community benefit. The City Clerk has the authority to request additional information as required in order to determine whether the event meets the required criteria. BYO Events are not permitted on City property in accordance with the City’s Municipal Alcohol Policy. 06 Application Requirements 06.01 Applications must be submitted 45 days prior to the date of the event if estimated attendance at the event is fewer than 5,000 people per day and 75 days prior to the event if estimated attendance at the event is 5,000 or more people per day. These timelines allow the City sufficient time to circulate the request to the appropriate departments and for the applicants to meet AGCO timelines. 06.02 Applicants who wish to request that the City issue a Designation Letter must submit the prescribed application form containing the following information to the City Clerk: a) the name and contact information of the Applicant; b) event date(s), start time(s), finish time(s), and location; c) start time(s) and finish time(s) of alcohol service; d) a detailed map including: i. area of the entire event; ii. location of the area to be licensed for the sale and service of alcohol; iii. all entry and exits to the event and licensed area; iv. location of all fire connections in the event and licensed area; and, v. washroom locations. e) estimated number of attendees; f) a description demonstrating how the event meets the criteria in Sections 04 or 05; and, g) a declaration that the Applicant will, independent of the application for designation as a Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Event, conduct their event in a manner that is safe, legal, and in compliance with all legislation, policies, and other obligations that may apply, including, but not limited to, AGCO permit/licensing requirements, City of Pickering By- Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 7 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 Laws, the City of Pickering Municipal Alcohol Policy, and the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019. 06.03 Applicants for Municipally Significant Events occurring on City properties must comply with all conditions outlined in the City’s Municipal Alcohol Policy and shall only be permitted on properties designated for such use. Consultation with the Community Services Department, and/or any other City staff responsible for special event permit requests is required prior to approval and must comply with all relevant requirements applicable to their event under the guidance of Community Services. Designation as a Municipally Significant Event on City property will be contingent on the approval of Community Services and subject to all other requirements of this Policy. 07 Review & Decision Process 07.01 The City Clerk shall review each application for completeness and ensure that all required information listed in Section 06 has been provided. Once complete, the City Clerk shall circulate the application to the applicable internal departments for their comment. 07.02 Internal reviewers shall provide comments indicating support, required conditions, or concerns, along with the reasons for any identified issues. 07.03 The City Clerk will designate an event as a Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Event if the City Clerk is satisfied that: a) The event as described meets the definition of a Municipally Significant , Cultural or Community Event as defined in this Policy; b) The Applicant has declared that they will conduct the event in a manner that is safe, legal, and in compliance with all legislation, policies, and other obligations that may apply; c) If the event will take place on City property, Community Services has provided their approval; d) The event does not appear to be contrary to any provision of this Policy or any other City Policy or By-law; and, e) The City Clerk has not received any objections from other City Departments to designate the event as a Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Event. 07.04 If the application is approved, the City Clerk will issue a Designation Letter for submission to the AGCO. The letter will include the event name, date(s), time(s), location, any other relevant information, and the type of municipal designation provided. Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 8 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 07.05 Should the City Clerk not deem an event as Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Event, the Applicant may request that the declaration request be brought forward for Council’s consideration. In such cases, the applicant must address their concerns in writing to the City Clerk who will place the written correspondence on a Council agenda for Council’s consideration. Council’s decision will act as the final decision. 08 Changes, Conditions & Limitations 08.01 Applicants must notify the City immediately if any event details change, including but not limited to the event date, location , layout, operating hours, or event type. This requirement ensures that the City can reassess the event for compliance and safety as needed. 08.02 A municipal designation may be rescinded at any time if required permits, approvals, or safety requirements are not maintained, or if new information indicates that the event no longer complies with this Policy. 09 Appendices Appendix 1 Prescribed Application Form Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 9 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 Appendix I Application for Municipal Designation – Special Occasion Permit (SOP) or Bring‑Your‑Own (BYO) Event Permit Applications must be submitted 45 days prior to the date of the event if estimated attendance at the event is fewer than 5, 000 people per day and 75 days prior to the event if estimated attendance at the event is 5, 000 or more people per day. A. Applicant Information Organization Name:__________________ Primary Contact: ______________ Address: ____________________________________ Phone: ____________________ Email Address: ________________ B. Event Details Event Title: __________________________ Event location (address and venue): _______________________ Is the event on City property? ☐ Yes ☐ No Permit # (if applicable): ________ Date(s) of the Event: _______________________ Event Start Time:______________ Event Finish Time: _____________ Alcohol service start and finish times (each day): _________________________ Estimated Number of Attendees: _______________________ Is this request for: ☐ Special Occasion Permit ☐ Bring-Your-Own Event Permit C. Description & Eligibility Rationale Provide a concise description of the event purpose and activities. Explain how the event meets the criteria for a Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Event in accordance with the ADM 310 - Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑Your‑Own Event Permits Policy. C. Required Attachments Attach a legible map showing: i. area of the entire event; ii. location of the area to be licensed for the sale and service of alcohol; Policy Title: Municipal Designation for Special Occasion and Bring‑ Page 10 of 10 Your‑Own Event Permits Policy Number: ADM 310 iii. all entry and exits to the event and licensed area; iv. location of all fire connections in the event and licensed area; and, v. washroom locations. E. Declaration By submitting this application, I the Applicant confirm the information contained in this application is true and correct and that independent of the application for designation as a Municipally Significant, Cultural or Community Event, will conduct this event in a manner that is safe, legal, and in compliance with all legislation, policies, and other obligations that may apply, including, but not limited to, AGCO permit/licensing requirements, City of Pickering By - Laws, the City of Pickering Municipal Alcohol Policy, and the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019. Submitted By: Date (YYYY-MM-DD)