By Charles Lefebvre

Province to relax liquor rules in provincial parks ahead of long weekend

May 16, 2019 | 5:22 PM

EDMONTON, AB — The province says they will be relaxing liquor constraints in provincial parks ahead of the May long weekend.

Over the long weekend, the liquor ban currently in place at Aspen Beach, Miquelon Lake, Garner Lake, Dillberry Lake, Pigeon Lake, Whitney Lakes, Jarvis Bay and Wabamun provincial parks will be lifted. Other provincial parks in Alberta do not have bans in place.

Liquor consumption in campgrounds will remain restricted to adults and only in campsites.

In addition, the provincial government has committed to introducing flexible regulations for festivals organizers in Alberta.

“It’s time to lift prohibition-era restrictions around liquor consumption in Alberta and give responsible adults the freedom to act responsibly,” Premier Jason Kenney said in a statement. “This is part of our plan to take bold, decisive steps to reduce regulatory burden on business and not-for-profit festival organizations. We will take Alberta from being the most over-regulated to the freest economy in Canada.”

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The province also announced that Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis regulations have been clarified to give organizers the flexibility on where they can serve drinks on festival grounds, and says they’re making approvals for liquor licences less restrictive for events and festivals in provincial parks.

The release from the province adds that rules and regulations around quiet times, excessive noise and appropriate behaviour remain and will continue to be enforced. Staff at parks responsible for enforcement will shift their focus to addressing negative behaviour.