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S-203 — An Act to prohibit the promotion of alcoholic beverages
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S-203
An Act to prohibit the promotion of alcoholic beverages
Non-affiliated
In progress
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BILL S-203
An Act to prohibit the promotion of alcoholic beverages
Last activity : At second reading in the Senate
Non-affiliated
In progress
Senate · 1st2025-05-27Senate · 2ndSenate · 3rdCommons · 1stCommons · 2ndCommons · 3rdRoyal assent
Sign-in required — one request per person, no anonymous requests
What it does, in plain language
- Creates the Alcoholic Beverage Promotion Prohibition Act, covering any drink with 1.1% or more alcohol by volume.
- Bans advertising of alcohol, including testimonials, celebrity or character endorsements, and imagery linking drinks to a lifestyle of glamour, excitement or daring, or anything that could appeal to people under 18.
- Still allows plain factual information about a product, its availability or its price, but only in places where minors cannot go, in mail addressed to a named adult over 18, or online with steps taken to keep young people out.
- Prohibits alcohol brands from sponsoring people, events, activities or venues, and from appearing in the name of a sports or cultural facility.
- Bans purchase incentives such as free drinks, giveaways, contests, draws or lotteries tied to buying alcohol.
- Gives inspectors named by the Minister the power to enter places, review records and seize items, with a warrant required to enter a private home.
- Sets fines of up to $500,000 on summary conviction and up to $1,000,000 on indictment for promotion offences, with possible jail time, and counts each day of an ongoing violation as a separate offence.
- Takes effect no later than one year after royal assent, or earlier if the government sets a date by order.
🤖 AI-generated from the bill’s official text as introduced — may not reflect amendments adopted since.
✋ What does “challenging” mean?
Clicking “Ask for an explanation” is a citizen request for the bill's sponsor to explain it in plain language — and for us to keep an eye on it together.
An account (email) is required — one request per person, no anonymous requests. 🔥 At 1,000 requests on the same bill, a public post is made, in the hope an MP agrees to sponsor a petition to the House.
It works on any bill, including one that has already received royal assent — that is often the one people want to understand.
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On the “who voted what” detail — the House of Commons publishes each member's name for every recorded (nominal) vote (Yea / Nay / paired). The by-member breakdown above (the "+" button on each row) comes directly from that official source (ourcommons.ca), not an estimate. The party shown next to each name is taken from the current House roster; people who have since left the House appear separately under "Former members".
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Recorded vote
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Passed is not law
A passed vote clears ONE stage. A bill must pass both chambers and then receive royal assent before it becomes law.
Paired is not absent
In the Commons, two members from opposing sides can agree not to vote: their voices cancel out. It is neither an absence nor an abstention.
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When I first tried to take an interest in it, on top of not knowing the jargon, bills came as two lines… and fifty PDFs. Most people would simply walk away.
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