Procedures approved for dealing with permits

January 15, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Caledon council recently made adjustments to the procedure for dealing with special occasion permits.
Town staff reported the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) changed the regulations regarding special occasion permits last year, and one of the adjustments involved permits for public events, or events that are open to the general public, such as fundraisers, etc.
Those seeking such a permit are required to give the municipality 30 days notice if less than 5,000 people are expected to attend the event and 60 days notice if the are going to be more than 5,000.
The report also stated insurance coverage is an issue when these permits are sought, especially when the event is to be held at a Town-owned facility. Staff suggested an applicant for a permit for a function not being held in a Town facility provide insurance coverage for $2 million, including the Town as an additional insured party.
The staff report also stated there were four events in 2012 that council considered “municipally significant” in approving permits. They included and Mud Hero event at Albion Hills Conservation Area in August, the Udder Tournament in November at Caledon Community Complex and two Portuguese heritage events at Caledon Fairgrounds. The Mud Hero and Udder events were the only two to receive that designation in 2013.
Staff recommended going forward that the Town Clerk be given the authority to provide a letter to an applicant for a permit which has previously been approved by the Town, if there are no significant changes from previous years.
New requests, or requests for events that have seen significant changes will go before council.