Vancouver Park Board votes to make alcohol on select beaches permanent
From June to the end of September booze allowed on 7 of 12 beaches
Vancouver Park Board commissioners have voted to permanently allow drinking on seven of 12 public beaches in the city from the first week in June to the last week in September.
The decision comes after two years of piloting alcohol consumption at Jericho Beach, John Hendry Beach, Kitsilano Beach, Locarno Beach, New Brighton, Spanish Banks, and Stanley Park's Second Beach.
"I think having a way to treat adults as adults and do that responsibly is good," said Comm. Laura Christensen before the unanimous vote Monday night.
"I'm happy to see that there were no major issues in 2024, and hopefully, this year is equally smooth."
Commissioners debated how to provide oversight around public safety and garbage collection at beaches where drinking is allowed versus not having any program at all. All agreed that drinking routinely happens at all Vancouver beaches regardless of the rules.
"I'm becoming a little more convinced that we have this issue under control in the city," said Comm Tom Digby, who opposed the pilot projects.
He worried allowing alcohol on beaches could make the destinations unattractive to some users, such as families with young children.
"Are we encouraging drinking on the beaches here? Absolutely not," he said. "What we're trying to do here is accommodate existing drinking that's on the beaches, which can be problematic, and we're trying to systematize it."
The city already allows the drinking of alcohol in 31 public parks and six public plazas year-round after pilot projects helped determine that it could be safely done.
Through two years of piloting alcohol on the seven beaches, the park board said it learned to improve communications over the rules, provide additional garbage and recycling bins to reduce waste and staff beaches with more park rangers and Vancouver police to help manage behaviour.
A staff report said that between 2023 and 2024, calls for service at English Bay, Sunset, Second and Third Beach decreased by five per cent and violent offences decreased by 34 per cent.
At Jericho, Kitsilano, Locarno and Spanish Banks calls for service increased by 66 per cent, and violent offences decreased by 37 per cent.
"VPD's interpretation of this data is that increased police presence on the beaches is a contributing factor to decreased violent offences," said the report.
$930K price tag
In 2024, the park board spent $482,000 to manage the alcohol on beaches in the second pilot, which the City of Vancouver provided funding for.
The city has earmarked one-time operating funding of $480,000 for the implementation of the permanent program in 2025 for the park board and $450,000 for the Vancouver Police Department.
Comm. Brennan Bastyovanszky successfully amended Monday night's motion to reflect that the program would need ongoing operating funds from the city in future years to keep going.
"City council really should support this indefinitely," he said. "When the current council money runs out in '26, that really large funding shortfall will put other services at risk if the park board is on the hook for the full cost."
Not just BYOB
Staff said it would look for partnerships and additional concession revenues to help fund future years of the program.
For example, in 2025, the Kitsilano concession sold alcohol, which resulted in an increase in concession revenue, according to the staff report.
Commissioners also voted to have staff look into ways where the beach closing times of 10 p.m. could be shifted to later on certain days when the sun was still shining and beachgoers were loath to leave.
"I want to make Vancouver fun again," said Comm. Jas Virdi.
Drinking alcohol is not allowed at Sunset Beach, Third Beach, English Bay, CRAB Park or at any of the beaches along the Fraser River.
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