If you or your child are headed to university in Ontario for the first time, you may have questions about alcohol laws, and how they apply to university students. The Liquor License Act governs how alcohol consumption among university students is handled. Parents and students alike can refer to this piece of legislation to understand more about what students can and cannot do when it comes to beer, liquor, wine and other alcoholic beverages.
Whether it is legal to do so or not, university students will find many opportunities to consume alcohol when they move away to school. It is important for these students to remember that you have to be at least 19 years old in order to legally drink alcohol in Ontario. Most students who are caught violating the law by illegally drinking under the age of 19 will face criminal consequences. They may also face scholastic consequences.
A lot of universities have campus police who will arrest and issue citations to students who are drinking illegally. Also, students will likely be in violation of their universities' bylaws and could suffer suspension or other scholastic consequences depending on their universities' policies in this regard.
Many young students from the United States who come to Ontario for school may be surprised that they are allowed to drink in Canada when they are 19. In the United States, the legal drinking age is 21, so Canadian students who might take a weekend trip across the border, or participate in a study abroad program, should be aware of this difference in the law to avoid getting into trouble.
In the even that a university student does get in trouble with the law over underage drinking, it will be beneficial to consult with a legal professional who can help him or her navigate the criminal justice system and limit the chance and/or severity of any forthcoming punishments related to the offense.
Source: University of Windsor, "Alcohol Law 101," accessed Aug. 26, 2015
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