Alcohol Sales in Ontario for Men’s Hockey Gold Medal Game
This Sunday, Ontario is getting into the spirit of the moment with an early start for alcohol sales. Bars and restaurants will be permitted to serve drinks as early as 6 a.m. ET, right before the men’s hockey gold medal match against Team USA set to kick off at 8:10 a.m. ET.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford shared this news on Friday, stating, “On Sunday morning, the entire country will be watching as the men’s hockey team plays for Olympic gold.” He added that this decision is meant to enhance the celebration of the Canadian team. It’s kind of exciting to think about everyone gathering for this event—it feels like a collective moment of national pride.
Ford’s announcement follows efforts by some municipalities and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who had pushed for local cafes and restaurants to open their doors to alcohol sales starting at 6 a.m. ET during the Winter Olympics.
This isn’t the first instance where Ontario has adjusted its alcohol-serving regulations. Previously, similar measures were taken during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, allowing sales from 7 a.m.
The timing of this decision is interesting, as it comes just after Team Canada secured their spot in the finals with a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind win against Finland. Nathan MacKinnon netted the winning goal with just 35 seconds remaining, marking a pivotal moment that teammate Connor McDavid described as a culmination of hard work over the past year.
McDavid explained, “It’s something we’ve had a lot of conversations over the course of a year, starting in the 4 Nations. We’ve worked on this power play a lot, we’ve talked about it a lot and we’re doing it for big moments.” He seemed pretty thrilled about the team’s performance and the anticipation building around the gold medal match.
So, as the clock ticks down to Sunday, it’s likely that many will be eagerly gathering to support Team Canada, raising a glass, perhaps a little earlier than usual. It’s definitely shaping up to be a memorable day for sports fans across the province.
