The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) has launched a new data tool outlining the health impacts and financial costs associated with alcohol use in Simcoe Muskoka.
During the May 12 Gravenhurst committee of the whole meeting, council voted unanimously to use the tool in partnership with the health unit to guide upcoming updates to its municipal alcohol policy and bylaws.
In correspondence presented to council, Ann-Marie Kungl, chair of the SMDHU Board of Health, said evidence-informed alcohol policies are an effective and cost-efficient way to reduce alcohol-related harms.
“As municipalities have authority over local policies and bylaws, understanding the local alcohol environment will help support decisions that promote public safety, community health, and responsible use of resources,” she said.
Kungl said by taking a proactive approach, municipalities can help prevent alcohol-related harm while fostering safer, healthier, and more vibrant communities.
The data provided by the SMDHU states alcohol use is responsible for approximately 7,665 emergency department visits, 840 hospitalizations and 275 deaths annually across Simcoe/Muskoka.
The data also states that in 2025, Simcoe/Muskoka had 480 retail alcohol outlets. This equals a density of 8.4 retailers for every 10,000 residents aged 15 years and older, four times higher than the recommended best‑practice density.
The health unit said rates of deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits related to alcohol use in Simcoe/Muskoka are significantly higher than provincial averages and are nearly twice as high in neighbourhoods with the greatest economic and social disadvantage compared with the least disadvantaged areas.
According to the health unit, municipal actions that can help reduce alcohol-related harms include maintaining alcohol-free parks, beaches, trails, recreation spaces, and community events, applying risk-based permitting for alcohol sales at events, and ensuring clear municipal alcohol bylaws and policies.
They also include setting limits on when and where alcohol is allowed at municipal events, as well as supporting enforcement in public spaces.
As a result, council voted unanimously to work with the health unit to balance public health considerations with tourism, economic development, recreation programming, enforcement capacity, and community expectations.
