Is drinking in Montreal parks legal? The answer is a little complicated

From outdoor festivals to impromptu picnics, Montrealers have been cracking beers in parks for years. But the rules around public drinking are fuzzier than most people think.

The short answer is yes, it’s legal… but only in certain places, and only if you’re eating.

Allow us to explain.

The basic rule

Organized gatherings aside, Quebec generally bans alcohol in public spaces, but Montreal carves out exceptions for parks.

The catch: you need to be having a meal, and you need to be in a designated area. That means picnic tables installed by the city, not just any patch of grass.

The SPVM has been clear about this for years. “You can’t just take a case of beer and start drinking from morning to night in a park, it’s forbidden,” SPVM spokesperson André Durocher told Le Journal de Montréal back in 2020. That line hasn’t changed.

According to Éducaloi, the rule applies to permitted areas only. Outside those zones, you’re not in the clear regardless of what’s on your plate.

What counts as a meal?

Nobody really knows. And that’s not an exaggeration.

The city and police don’t define what qualifies as a “meal” for the purposes of public drinking. Back in 2025, city spokesperson Marc-Antoine Bélanger told MTL Blog that definitions can vary borough to borough, and suggested checking with the relevant borough before assuming you’re covered.

Cheese and crackers? Probably fine. A granola bar? Pushing it. A bag of chips and a six-pack? Don’t count on it.

Your borough might have extra rules

Even if you’re eating and you’re at a picnic table, your borough may have added restrictions on top of the city baseline. In Ahuntsic-Cartierville, for example, alcohol isn’t allowed near sports fields, splash pads, or playgrounds even during a meal. Nature parks across the city operate under separate rules and are generally off-limits.

Neighbouring cities like Longueuil and Sherbrooke ban park drinking outright.

What happens if you break the rules?

A $100 fine is on the books for drinking outside permitted areas, and drunken loitering can run you $50. That said, a first response is usually a warning rather than an immediate ticket.

The bottom line

Drinking in a Montreal park is legal if you’re at a city picnic table, eating an actual meal, keeping things civil, and skipping the glass containers.

When in doubt, turn your happy hour into a tapas session. It won’t hurt your case.

Oh, and while it should go without saying, don’t leave your trash behind!