Toronto extends drinking hours for Olympics
Toronto city council has voted to allow bars to open early for the remainder of the Olympics.
Bars can serve alcohol as early as 6 a.m. Friday through Sunday, the final day of competition at the Winter Games in Sochi.
"Cheers to everyone — and go, Canada, go," said Councillor Mike Layton, who introduced the motion, shortly before it was approved in a 37-4 vote Thursday evening.
The early hours are meant to allow businesses to cash in on the tail end of the Olympics, in particular the men's hockey final, which because of the nine-hour time difference will air Sunday morning in Toronto.
The extended hours were originally meant to include the women's hockey final on Thursday — which saw Canada take the gold over the U.S. in overtime — but council did not get to the motion during its session on Wednesday.
The early hours do not apply in Wards 9, 11 and 24.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was among those who voted against the motion after arguing it should be amended to include nightclubs.
City council also passed a motion allowing e-bikes to use the city's bicycle lanes, and another that restricts councillors from using their official social media accounts for campaign purposes. Toronto will hold a municipal election in October.