Sask. pilot program asks bar patrons to create tab for sober ride home

The Saskatchewan government hopes a plan to offer up $5 for bar patrons in Regina will encourage them to find a sober ride home. 

Called "Drive Dollars", the initiative will be piloted at Victoria's Tavern from the August long weekend until Labour Day, the government announced Monday.

When bar patrons buy a drink, they will be asked if they also want to set aside a small amount of money for their safe ride home. The government will then match the amount they set aside.

"Doing nothing is not on," said Tina Beaudry-Mellor, the minister responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan, leading the project, on Monday. 

"We can't continue to keep doing what we're doing and expect different results," she said, adding she does not believe introducing stiffer penalties is always the answer for the government, but the province should look at ways to change people's behaviour. 

The pilot is taking place at Victoria's Tavern in Regina. 

People can contribute $5 to their "tab", the government will contribute $5 and First Choice Designated Driver Service, which drives your vehicle home, will contribute $5. 

A spokesperson said $15 is the maximum for the new pilot which, if successful, could be expanded to other locations. 

"The project will gather data and assess whether a small matching contribution by the government would increase the likelihood of bar patrons planning ahead for a safe ride home," said the news release.

Program should be popular, says bar manager

John Christie, a manager at Victoria's Tavern, said Monday he expects the program to be popular. 

"Sometimes it can be a little tough, especially late at night, especially after you know, if there's a concert in town or if there's a Rider game, it's pretty hard to get taxis," he said.

He said servers will be asking patrons if they want a voucher for First Choice Designated Driver Service, and if they do their $15 voucher can be used anytime before Sept. 4. 

If the pilot is successful and a decision is made to expand it, the province said there is potential for taxis or other designated driving services to take part. 

More projects designed to reduce impaired driving

It is one of five projects aimed at reducing impaired driving being piloted for the rest of the summer. 

The others include police officers visiting bars as well as handing out so-called "positive tickets", where sober drivers could win one of 25 $150 Visa giftcards.

It also plans to launch different social media campaigns with the hashtags #CareAboutImpaired and #howareyougettinghome and print children's drawings on brown liquor store bags. 

While on the campaign trail for leadership of the Saskatchewan Party, Beaudry-Mellor said the government needs to look at a zero tolerance policy for impaired driving. 

On Monday, she stood by that position. 

"That's a question that we're always going to have a conversation about. I don't know that we are there yet. I think it's a question that we still need to discuss."

In 2017, Saskatchewan Government Insurance reported 39 impaired driving related deaths on provincial roads.