Legal Drinking Age in Canada

The legal drinking age in any country defines the age at which an individual is permitted to consume alcohol. The laws regarding the legal drinking age vary from country to country. In fact, there are several countries where there are no absolute laws against legal drinking. Many of you may be interested in learning about the legal drinking age in Canada, simply because the legal drinking age in the US is 21, and fortunately/unfortunately, this limit is lower in Canada. This is a common reason why a lot of college students head up north to let their hair down and go on a drinking spree.

What is the Drinking Age in Canada?

The legal drinking age in Canada varies in the different provinces and territories that make up the country. A lot of people are under the assumption that there is a separate law on the drinking age in Canada for US citizens. However, the only rule is that you must carry an identity and age proof with you while you are consuming alcohol at any location, so that you may peacefully enjoy your drink without getting into trouble.

Province / Territory	Legal Drinking Age
Alberta	18
British Columbia	19
Manitoba	18
New Brunswick	19
Newfoundland and Labrador	19
Northwest Territories	19
Nova Scotia	19
Nunavut	19
Ontario	19
Prince Edward Island	19
Quebec	18
Saskatchewan	19
Yukon Territory	19

There are certain exceptions to the rule about the legal drinking age in Canada.

• You may drink if you are underage in licensed premises such as taverns, only when accompanied by, and under the supervision of an adult guardian in the provinces of Manitoba and New Brunswick.
• In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Saskatchewan, an individual who has not yet attained the legal drinking age, may consume alcohol at home, only under the supervision of a parent or an adult guardian.

The former legal drinking age in the country was 21, but over time, this age has been reduced to 18 and 19 in the different provinces mentioned above. The country of Canada does not promote alcohol consumption in any manner. In fact, the advertising of alcoholic beverages and their prices is banned, even near establishments that legally sell alcohol. Moreover, advertisements that promote alcohol consumption as a means of gaining social acceptance, of giving in to peer pressure, or as a way of solving personal problems, are completely banned in the country.

There is a lot of debate regarding the legal drinking age in a variety of countries, mainly the United States, the country with the highest legal drinking age at 21. Also, there are several considerations regarding whether the drinking age should be lowered. Many argue that keeping the age limit so high is not going to make a difference, as people are going to drink underground anyway. A well-known fact is that when a person is prohibited from doing something, he does it anyway, and probably in a manner that is worse. It is because of the strict implementation of this rule, that the younger lot heads to Canada to get their first taste of alcohol, as the legal drinking age there is lower. However, no matter what the legal drinking age, education regarding the right amount of alcohol consumption and the effects of alcohol abuse is very important. An informed consumer of alcohol will definitely make the right choice, rather than an uninformed consumer who goes wild and guzzles down drink after drink on his 21st birthday.