Highlights | June 22,2017

Alcohol Harm in Canada: Ontario

Rates of hospitalizations entirely caused by alcohol lower than the Canadian average, varied within the province in 2015–2016

  • Canada-wide variation: In Ontario, there were 195 hospitalizations per 100,000 population(239 per 100,000 in Canada). In comparison, the lowest provincial rate was 172 per 100,000 in New Brunswick, and the highest rate was 349 per 100,000 in British Columbia.
  • Variation by neighbourhood income: The rate was 2.2 times higher in the lowest income quintile than in the highest income quintile (323 per 100,000 versus 147 per 100,000).
  • Variation by geography: The rate was 1.4 times higher in rural areas than in urban areas (256 per 100,000 versus 188 per 100,000).The North West Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) had the highest rate (607 per 100,000); this was 5.4 times higher than the Central LHIN’s rate, which was the lowest (111 per 100,000).

Heavy drinking rate and alcohol sales lower than the Canadian average[i]

  • Heavy drinking, 2014 (self-reported): 16% of Ontarians self-reported heavy drinking,[ii] compared with 18% across Canada. 21% of males and 12% of females self-reported heavy drinking, compared with the respective Canadian averages of 23% and 13%.
  • Alcohol sales, 2014–2015: The absolute volume of pure alcohol sold per capita in Ontario was 7.3 litres, compared with 8.1 litres across Canada.

Alcohol policies and interventions with demonstrated evidence of effectiveness in reducing alcohol harm in the international literature

  • Alcohol control system:There is a low proportion of government ownership of alcohol retail in Ontario.
  • Physical availability:There are 18 alcohol retail stores per 100,000 population in Ontario, compared with the Canadian average of 50 per 100,000.The maximum number of off-premise retail hours is 14, compared with the Canadian average of 15.
  • Minimum alcohol pricing:Ontario is 1 of 3 provinces/territories to have implemented all of the alcohol minimum pricing policies examined in this report: minimum pricing for off-premise retail,minimum pricing for on-premise sales,indexation to inflation and adjustment for percentage of alcohol content.
  • Screening, brief intervention and referral (SBIR):SBIR is not included in an alcohol or mental health and addictions strategy.

[i].Sources: Statistics Canada. Table 183-0023: Sales and per capita sales of alcoholic beverages by liquor authorities and other retail outlets, by value, volume, and absolute volume, annual. CANSIM (database).Accessed April 7, 2017.

Statistics Canada.Table 105-0501: Health indicator profile, annual estimates, by age group and sex, Canada, provinces, territories, health regions (2013 boundaries) and peer groups, occasional. CANSIM (database).Accessed April 7, 2017.

[ii].Defined as having 5 or more drinks for men and 4 or more drinks for women on 1 occasion at least once a month over a 1-year period.