Smart Serve Ontario key terms

A state in which alcohol or another substance has visibly impaired a person's physical control, judgment, or behaviour. Staff must watch for it and stop serving before the person becomes a risk to themselves or others.

Any reduction in a person's ability to think clearly, move safely, or make decisions, caused by alcohol, drugs, medication, illness, or fatigue. Impairment can exist even when a person seems calm and quiet.

Observable cues such as slurred speech, unsteady walking, bloodshot eyes, fumbling with money, loud or aggressive talk, drowsiness, and losing track of conversation. Staff should note several signs together rather than relying on a single one.

A measure used to describe alcohol content consistently: about 341 mL of regular beer, 142 mL of wine, or 43 mL of spirits. Knowing standard drinks helps staff judge how much a guest has actually consumed.

How quickly a guest consumes alcohol relative to food, water, and time. Fast drinking, rounds, shots, and drinking on an empty stomach raise risk, so staff should slow service and offer food and water.

The ongoing practice of watching guests throughout their visit for changes in behaviour, consumption rate, and group dynamics. It includes checking tables regularly, tracking rounds, and noting who is ordering for whom.

The decision to stop serving alcohol to a guest who is or may become intoxicated. It should be stated clearly and calmly, and staff should then offer water, food, and help with transportation.

Declining to sell or serve alcohol to a guest, for example because they are intoxicated, underage, or unable to show valid identification. Refusals must be polite, firm, and applied consistently to everyone.

The authority and responsibility of servers and licence holders to decline any alcohol sale or service. No employer may require staff to serve someone who is intoxicated or underage, and staff should be backed for refusing.

The legal and ethical obligation of the licence holder and staff to take reasonable steps to protect guests and the public from foreseeable harm linked to alcohol service. It supports monitoring, refusing service, and arranging safe exits.

Legal responsibility for harm that can lead to lawsuits and damages, separate from criminal or regulatory charges. Licence holders and sometimes staff can be sued when alcohol service foreseeably contributes to injury or death.

Ontario's main statute governing the sale, service, and delivery of alcohol, along with related rules for licensed establishments. It sets out licence holder duties, prohibited conduct, and penalties enforced by the regulator.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, the provincial regulator that licenses alcohol sales and enforces liquor rules. It can suspend or revoke licences, issue monetary penalties, and require training such as Smart Serve.

The authorization issued to a business allowing specific alcohol sales and service under stated conditions. Licence conditions may cover hours, areas, capacity, food requirements, and permitted licence types.

The person or corporation named on the liquor licence and legally responsible for how alcohol is sold and served on the premises. Duties include training staff, maintaining records, posting signage, and preventing prohibited sales.

Specific terms attached to a liquor licence that limit or shape how alcohol may be sold, such as permitted hours, service areas, maximum capacity, or required food service. Breaching a condition can lead to penalties.

The ongoing obligations of a licence holder, including supervising service, training staff, keeping required records, displaying required signage, and ensuring no service to minors or intoxicated people. Failing these duties can affect the licence.

A visit by a regulator or police to check that a licensed establishment follows liquor law and licence conditions. Inspectors may review records, observe service, check identification practices, and question staff.

Maintaining required documents such as staff training records, incident reports, refusal logs, and records of alcohol purchases or deliveries. Good records show due diligence and help defend the business if a problem is investigated.

A written account of a significant event, such as a refusal, ejection, injury, fight, or suspected impaired driving departure. It should be factual, dated, timed, and signed, and kept for the business's records.

A running record of service refusals noting date, time, reason, and what was done. It supports consistency, helps identify repeat problems, and demonstrates that staff are actively managing service.

Mandatory notices a licensed establishment must display, such as signs about not serving minors, not serving intoxicated people, and the consequences of prohibited sales. Signs must be visible and in required locations.

A business's own written rules for alcohol service, such as last call, ID checks, maximum drinks per guest, and refusal procedures. Clear policies help staff act consistently and support them when they refuse service.

The process of asking for and examining acceptable ID before an alcohol sale when a guest appears young or when policy requires it. Staff should check every time and for everyone in a group who appears underage.

Documents Ontario allows for proving age and identity for alcohol service, such as a valid Ontario driver's licence, Ontario photo card, Canadian passport, or certain other government-issued photo ID. Expired, altered, or photocopied ID is not acceptable.

In Ontario, the age at which a person may legally purchase and consume alcohol, which is 19. Serving anyone younger is a prohibited sale, regardless of whether they look older.

Anyone below Ontario's legal drinking age of 19. Staff must not sell or serve alcohol to them, and must be alert to adults buying drinks for minors on the premises.

An identification document that is forged, altered, borrowed, or otherwise not genuinely the guest's own. Warning signs include mismatched appearance, tampered laminate, unusual fonts, and hesitation when asked for details.

When one person buys alcohol for another who cannot legally be served, such as an adult buying for a minor or a sober friend buying for an intoxicated person. Staff should watch for handoffs and shared drinks.

Any action staff take to prevent harm, such as slowing service, offering food and water, refusing a drink, or arranging a ride. Effective intervention is early, calm, private where possible, and respectful.

Techniques for reducing tension and preventing violence, such as speaking calmly, keeping distance, listening, avoiding arguments, and offering choices. It aims to resolve conflict without physical contact.

The practices staff use to protect themselves during confrontations, including staying behind a barrier, keeping an exit path, calling for backup, and avoiding being alone with an aggressive guest. Safety comes before service rules.

Physical contact used to restrain, move, or remove a person. It carries legal risk and should be a last resort, limited to what is reasonable and necessary, and generally left to trained staff or police.

Removing a guest from the premises because of intoxication, aggression, or rule breaking. It should be done calmly with backup, while watching for the person's safety after they leave, such as arranging transportation.

Helping an intoxicated guest leave without driving, for example by calling a taxi, ride share, friend, or family member. Staff should not simply send an obviously impaired person to the parking lot alone.

Food, water, and soft drinks offered to guests to slow alcohol absorption and reduce risk. Providing them is part of responsible service, though it does not make an intoxicated person safe to keep serving.

The times during which a licensed establishment may legally sell and serve alcohol, as set by law and any licence conditions. Serving outside those hours is a violation, even for guests already on the premises.

The announced final opportunity to order alcohol before service ends. Staff should give clear notice, stop taking orders at the required time, and allow guests time to finish drinks and arrange safe transportation.

A gathering not open to the general public, such as a wedding or corporate party, where alcohol rules still apply. The licence holder or permit holder remains responsible for service, ID checks, and refusing intoxicated guests.

Authorization that allows alcohol service at a defined private event that is not otherwise licensed. The permit sets conditions such as date, location, hours, and responsible person, and those conditions must be followed.

Rules about whether people under 19 may be present in a licensed establishment, which vary by licence type and local conditions. Staff must know their own licence rules and prevent minors from being served or consuming alcohol.

Bringing alcohol to a customer from a licensed seller or through an authorized service. Rules require age verification at delivery, no delivery to intoxicated people, and compliance with licence or authorization conditions.