TORONTO, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued a Notice of Proposal (NOP) to suspend the liquor sales licence of My Friends Place, a bar located at 19 Burtch Street in Woodstock, Ontario.
The proposed suspension follows an AGCO inspection into multiple violations of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 (LLCA) following the tragic death of a patron after leaving the premises.
Based on its review, the AGCO has alleged the following infractions:
- Serving Intoxicated Persons: On October 6, 2024, the patron in question was served 17 beers over a four-hour period and was served after appearing visibly intoxicated, a violation of Ontario Regulation 746/21, section 23.
- Permitting Intoxication: The licensee permitted intoxication to occur on their premises, in violation of Ontario Regulation 746/21, subsection 43(1).
- Lack of Required Training: An individual who had not completed the required training program was permitted to serve alcohol, a violation of Interim Standard section 4.1.
After leaving the bar, the patron fell backwards outside the bar and struck his head. He was transported to the hospital where he later died. Less than three weeks later, another patron was allegedly permitted to drive their vehicle after being over-served alcohol.
For this second incident, the AGCO has cited additional violations of Permitting Intoxication (Ontario Regulation 746/21, subsection 43(1) and Serving Intoxicated Persons (Ontario Regulation 746/21, section 23).
The AGCO holds liquor licensees to high standards for the safe and responsible sale of alcohol. It is the responsibility of all licensees to ensure their staff are properly trained to recognize the signs of intoxication.
An establishment served with a Notice of Proposal has the right to appeal the Registrar’s action to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal independent of the AGCO and part of Tribunals Ontario.
QUOTE
“Ontario’s liquor laws are specifically designed to prevent the kind of tragic outcome allegedly resulting from over-service at this establishment. Adherence to Ontario’s responsible service standards is not optional and this suspension demonstrates that we hold licensees accountable.”
Dr. Karin Schnarr, Registrar and CEO, AGCO
MEDIA CONTACT
AGCO Communications
media@agco.ca
ABOUT THE AGCO
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is an Ontario provincial regulatory agency reporting to the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG). It is a corporation under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act, 2019.
