WE ASK BECAUSE WE CARE
Preventing sales to minors and those who appear intoxicated is
a year-round responsibility LCBO employees take very seriously.Last year,
LCBO staff challenged approximately 3.6 million individuals in 2010-11, an
increase of 35 per cent from 2009-10, for failing to produce valid ID,
appearing intoxicated or attempting to purchase for a minor or an impaired
individual. Service was refused to over 192,000 people, with 82 per cent for
reasons of age. In Ontario, it’s illegal to consume alcohol before the age
of 19.
It’s also illegal for anyone to supply alcohol to minors. When staff have
reasonable grounds to believe someone is buying for a minor, the Liquor
Licence Act gives them the right and responsibility to refuse the sale.
LCBO’s in-store campaign Responsibility Starts
Here reinforces our commitment to responsible service, and reminds
would-be purchasers of the consequences of buying alcohol for minors. Under
the Liquor Licence Act, anyone convicted of supplying alcohol to a
minor faces a fine of up to $200,000 and up to one year in jail.
Incorporated licensed establishments can be fined a maximum of $500,000 for
this offence. Anyone who holds parties for minors where alcohol is served
may also be subject to criminal charges and civil liability.
LCBO’s year-round Check 25 program is a core responsible retailing
program that helps prevent sales to minors by checking the ID of anyone who
looks under 25. Posters and signage now in LCBO stores featuring the tagline
“25 or under? We check I.D.” build further awareness among our customers of
this policy and help ensure that alcohol is not sold to minors.
EMPLOYEE TRAINING
Every LCBO employee serving the public takes part in the
organization’s Challenge & Refusal: It’s not Personal. It’s the Law.
training program. It trains staff on how to deal with customers who appear
intoxicated or underage, second-party purchasers (those buying alcohol for
someone not legally entitled to purchase it) and difficult refusals at the
checkout counter.
Employees learn to identify potential
problems and handle them tactfully
and to distinguish between characteristics
related to health conditions, disabilities
and impairment resulting from intoxication.
As of June 1, 2011, regulatory changes to Ontario’s Liquor Licence Act
expanded the number of government issued-photo ID that are prescribed for
proof of age purposes. There are now eight forms of prescribed ID (see “BYID
Cards’ section below). LCBO’s Challenge & Refusal: It’s not Personal.
It’s the Law. Quick Check ID Guide shows the eight forms of ID
set out in Ontario’s Liquor Licence Act and makes it easier for LCBO
staff and others to determine if someone has valid identification.
BYID CARDS
LCBO’s tamper-resistant Bring Your Identification (BYID) photo
card, endorsed by the provincial government, proves that customers are of
legal drinking age. To apply for a BYID card, applicants must be 19-35 years
of age, supply a passport-size colour photo, photocopies of documents
proving date of birth and name, and a $30 fee. A guarantor must sign the back
of the photo and all documentation and fill out a section of the
application. Random checks help ensure applications and guarantors are
valid. Click
here to view the application form
online or visit any LCBO store for
a copy.
BYID cards can be used to purchase beverage alcohol in all retail stores
and licensed establishments in Ontario. As of June 1, 2011, there are now
eight forms of prescribed ID, which include: Ontario Driver’s Licence,
LCBO’s BYID Card, Canadian Passport, Canadian Citizenship Card, Canadian
Armed Forces Identification Card, Certificate of Indian Status Card,
Permanent Resident Card and Ontario Photo Card.
COMMUNITY
OUTREACH
The LCBO is not alone in
promoting responsibility. LCBO store
managers and staff also work with
school officials and community leaders,
participating in meetings, trade and
consumer shows and other events to
promote responsible drinking.
To further deter underage drinking,
the LCBO has developed an information
kit, Alcohol Facts for Students
– Making Smart Choices. This and other resources for
teachers are available on our
website to educate
students about alcohol. Store
managers also ask area high schools
for dates of upcoming dances, proms,
graduations and other occasions when
students and graduates might try to
obtain alcohol. As well, LCBO staff
visit interested high schools prior
to proms to advise students they are
on the lookout for underage customers
and individuals attempting to purchase
for them. In some communities, principals
and teachers spend time at the store
on prom nights to help deter minors’
attempts to purchase.
Donations raised from prompted donations and donation boxes at LCBO
stores help fund Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada’s (MADD Canada) annual
School Assembly Program for students that alerts them to
the dangers of impaired driving. This year’s program, Damages, can
be previewed here.
For more information, contact the
LCBO Social Responsibility Department
at 416 864-6820.
Customers can contact the toll-free, bilingual helloLCBO team at
1-800-668-5226 or online at
www.hellolcbo.com. In Toronto,
call 416 365-5900. The TTY number for the deaf and hard of hearing is 416
864-6898 or 1-800-361-3291.
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