Live music venues could serve alcohol until 3 a.m. under new proposal

Alberta bars with live music could be allowed to serve alcohol until 3 a.m. if a new proposal passes.

In an effort to promote live music venues throughout the province, and allow them to be more profitable, the Alberta government is toying with the idea of allowing bars and venues to sell alcohol up until 3 a.m. in the morning.

A motion was presented to the legislative assembly and passed during their last sitting in December, spearheaded by NDL MLA David Shepherd, a former musician, and Edmonton City Councillor Scott McKeen.

Extended liquor licenses have been granted within Alberta for special events, like the Calgary Stampede and during the 2014 Winter Olympics when bars were allowed to open at 5 a.m.

While not a done deal, Alberta’s Finance Minister Joe Ceci who is in charge of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission told CBC News in an interview last week that he was open to the idea “as long as people are positively engaged in bars as opposed to pounding back drinks”.

Current hours for liquor sales fall between 10 a.m. and 2 a.m., and liquor can be consumed until 3 a.m.