Is liquor too accessible in Prince George?

PRINCE GEORGE — A recent report involving UNBC professor Dr. Russ Callaghan gave Canada a failing grade for its liquor policy. One of the more alarming findings is that alcohol has surpassed tobacco in terms of being the most costly drug in the country when it comes to harms.

Density and accessibility contributed to the 11 different policies looked at when determining Canada’s failing grade. On the plus side, however, BC earned the second highest score compared to best practices in 2017 at 58 percent.

In Prince George, City Council has made revitalizing the downtown a priority over the last few years. This includes pubs and bars to contribute to night life. Balancing liquor accessibility in the city can be difficult but it isn’t seen as an issue yet with a big reason being public consultations, according to Councillor Kyle Sampson.

Density, pricing and taxation, and age limits are all contributing factors to alcohol consumption, with the accessibility being a top listed factor for Stacie Weich, Regional Lead for the Prevention of Substance Harms. “We know that the more available alcohol becomes, the more people will consume it.”