Test Your A.Q. (Alcohol Quotient)
Answers: Quiz #1 - Alcohol & Youth
1. The legal drinking age in Ontario is 19.
True. In Ontario, individuals under 19 are breaking the law if they have, consume, attempt to buy, buy or otherwise obtain alcohol.
Source: Liquor Licence Act (LLA)
2. The legal drinking age in most other Canadian provinces is 18.
False. 19 is the legal drinking age in all Canadian provinces with the exception of Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta where it is 18.
Source: CCSA
3. You have to be at least 16 years old to serve alcohol in an Ottawa bar.
False. Under the Ontario Liquor Licence Act, you must be at least 18 years old to serve alcohol in a licensed establishment anywhere in the province. This includes taking or receiving payment for drink orders, bartending and stocking a refrigerator or bar with alcoholic beverages.
Source: AGCO
4. It's against the law in Ontario for a parent to give a sixteen year old a glass of wine in a restaurant.
True. The Ontario Liquor Licence Act (LLA) exempts parents and legal guardians from general prohibitions regarding the provision of alcohol to minors. However, this exemption only applies if they: a) provide alcohol to their own children (not their kids' underage friends), and b) the alcohol is provided and consumed in a residence or private place as defined in section 3 of the LLA Regulations. So parents can give their sixteen year old daughter a glass of wine at home for example. But they cannot legally do the same to a sixteen year old who happens to be out for dinner with their family.
Source: Liquor Licence Act
5. You're not breaking any laws if you give alcohol to someone who's underage but shows you a student ID that says they're old enough to drink.
False. You are breaking the law in Ontario if you sell or supply alcohol to anyone who is or appears to be under 19. If you will be selling or serving alcohol, it is your responsibility to check for proper identification and to turn away those with fake or invalid ID [PDF]. For more information on the pitfalls of providing alcohol to minors, visit the websites of the LCBO or Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Source: Liquor Licence Act
6. You can be charged with impaired driving even if you haven't had any alcohol.
True. Under the Criminal Code, you can be charged with operating a vehicle while impaired even if you have no alcohol in your system. This is because impairment can also be caused by illegal drugs, medication, etc.
Source: Criminal Code
7. The police can suspend your driver's licence for 12 hours if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is less than .08 mg%.
True. In Ontario, your licence can be suspended for 12 hours if you register a blood alcohol concentration between .05 and 0.08mg%. If you refuse to provide a breath sample or your BAC is above .08, your licence will be automatically suspended for 90 days under the Administrative Driver's Licence Suspension (ADLS) Program.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation
False. All new drivers, regardless of age, must maintain a zero BAC at all times while behind the wheel. This requirement applies until the two stages of Ontario's graduated licensing system are completed.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
9. If you just got your driver's licence, you must make sure the person riding in the front seat next to you is not impaired and is a fully licensed, experienced driver.
True. All Ontario drivers with a G1 licence (the first stage in Ontario's Graduated Licensing System) must be accompanied by a fully licensed driver with at least four years of driving experience. This person must maintain a blood alcohol level below 0.05 and be the only person riding in the front seat next to you.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
10. You will be immediately suspended from school if you're caught with liquor in your locker.
True. The Ontario Code of Conduct for elementary and secondary schools prohibits possession or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs on school property and at school events. The code applies to students, teachers, staff, volunteers and parents. The minimum mandatory penalty for students who infringe the Code is suspension from school for up to 20 days.
Source: Ministry of Education, Education Act, Section 301 and Education Act, Section 309.
11. If your 18 year-old girlfriend come to the school dance drunk she can be suspended. If the principal finds out she was drinking your beer in the school parking lot, you can be expelled.
True. Section 309 of the Education Act requires Ontario principals to expel elementary and secondary students who provide alcohol to minors while on school property (including parking lots), or engaged in school-related activities, such as sports games, social events, fundraisers, trips, etc. The Education Act also requires principals to suspend students for coming to school drunk. So if your principal finds out your girlfriend is drunk he will have no choice but to suspend her. And if your girlfriend admits she got the alcohol from you, you will be expelled.
Source: Ministry of Education.
12. In Ontario, alcohol ads cannot feature a 17 year old drinking, but they can show her dancing and hanging out with friends.
False. It's against law to show someone who is, or appears to be, underage in an alcohol ad unless it's a public service announcement on the dangers of underage drinking, for example. Ontario's Advertising Guidelines [PDF] prohibit alcohol ads that feature spokespeople, songs, fictional characters, etc. that appeal to children and youth, or are placed in media specifically targeted at those under the legal drinking age. Alcohol billboards also cannot be placed within 200 m of a primary or secondary school. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) can pull ads that do not comply with the Guidelines or have not been pre-approved. It can also impose fines on errant advertisers. For more information, see ARAPO's Alcohol Advertising: A Legal Primer. To express your concerns regarding an ad you've seen click here.
Sources: Association to Reduce Alcohol Promotion in Ontario; Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Bonus Questions
13. What is the legal drinking age in the Michigan?
The legal drinking age across the United States is 21.
Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [PDF].
14. If you are convicted of supplying alcohol to a minor under the Ontario Liquor Licence Act, what penalties, if any, apply?
Individuals convicted of selling or supplying liquor to a minor under the Liquor Licence Act face a fine of up to $200,000 and a jail term of up to one year. Corporations may be fined up to $500,000. Licensees convicted to underage service will lose their licence for at least 7 days and have to pay a minimum fine of $500.
Source: Liquor Licence Act.
15. If you are convicted of impaired driving for the first time, what will it take to get your licence back?
Lots of time and money. If you are a first-time drinking driver convicted under Section 253 and Section 254 of the Criminal Code, you can lose your driver's licence for a year. In order to get your licence back:
- you must pay for and successfully complete the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's Remedial Measures Program
- you must cover the costs of installing and maintaining an ignition interlock on the car you will be driving after your licence is reinstated for a minimum of one year.
If you are caught driving without a valid licence, your car will be impounded at your own expense for at least 45 days.
If convicted under the Highway Traffic Act for driving while under a Criminal Code suspension, you will face a fine ranging from $5,000 and $25,000. Charges related to driving while impaired or without a valid licence also have a significant impact on your insurance rates. For details visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada website.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Reference links: