After two years of a successful pilot program, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation will soon decide whether to make drinking alcohol a permanent (summertime) feature at seven of the city's beaches.
Parks staff have submitted a report recommending the "Alcohol on Beaches" summer program be made permanent, so long as there's enough staff to run it.
The new policy would allow drinking beer, wine, and other alcoholic drinks at the majority of Vancouver's beaches between the first week of June and the last week in September. Drinking at beaches in the fall, spring, and winter remains banned.
The permanent policy would start this summer.
The seven beaches where drinking alcoholic beverages would be allowed are:
- Kitsilano
- Jericho
- Locarno
- Spanish Banks
- Second Beach
- New Brighton
- John Hendry (at Trout Lake)
Aside from Second Beach, the beaches of Stanley Park and the north shore of False Creek are not part of the program, and alcohol remains banned at those beaches (including English Bay Beach) year-round.
A report to the parks board notes that English Bay is by far the beach with the highest number of incidents requiring a parks ranger.
"[In 2024 there were] a total of 1547 incidents at English Bay and 421 at Kitsilano. The west beaches incidents (Spanish Banks, Locarno and Jericho) totalled 24 combined," reads the report.
Staff also noted that whether drinking on public beaches is allowed or not, people will be imbibing.
"In general, it can be concluded from the re-pilot that the public’s behaviour around consuming alcohol on beaches is unaffected by whether it is permitted or not," reads the report. "The increased emphasis on education, enforcement, and communications seems to have reduced the number of challenging incidents."
Staff also note that alcohol being served at beach concessions could be increased. Alcohol service was introduced at Kitsilano Beach in 2024.
"Building on the success of the Kitsilano concession, staff intend to use this location as a model for future expansions," reads the report.
There is a cost associated with allowing alcohol at beaches, though, including enforcement staff and advertising. It's estimated it'll cost the park board $480,000 and the VPD $450,000 for 2025.
"Future ongoing operating funding would need to be requested as part of the 2026 operating budget cycle," reads the report.
To fund it in the long term, the park board will look at revenue generation related to allowing alcohol at beaches. If there is no route, the number of beaches where drinking is permitted will likely be reduced.
The park board will vote on the policy at its meeting on Monday, Feb. 3.
