Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation
The Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE), which has a track record of strengthening Canada’s response to alcohol-related harm, is an ongoing project that systematically evaluates the degree of implementation of provincial, territorial, and federal alcohol policies under 11 evidence-based alcohol policy domains.
CAPE was initially developed and implemented in 2013 (CAPE 1.0), and then updated, refined, and expanded in 2019 (CAPE 2.0). The next round (CAPE 3.0) will be launched in 2022 alongside a national alcohol policy community of practice.
Join the CAPE Community of Practice.
Give your input on the upcoming CAPE 3.0!
Rejoindre la Communauté de Practique de l'ÉPCA.
Partagez vos commentaires sur le projet de l’ÉPCA 3.0!
Project Overview
About the Provincial and Territorial CAPE Project
The provincial and territorial CAPE Project is a rigorous assessment of the extent to which evidence-based alcohol policies have been implemented in all 13 jurisdictions in Canada. The study design is based on a similar model conceived of and implemented by MADD Canada assessing the progress of policy measures to reduce impaired driving (see 2015 Provincial Impaired Driving Report). The types of alcohol policies being evaluated at the provincial and territorial level include those with direct evidence of direct effectiveness as a means of reducing population level consumption of alcohol and/or related harms such as: pricing and taxation; physical availability of alcohol; impaired driving countermeasures; marketing and advertising controls; minimum legal drinking age laws; screening, brief intervention and referral programs; and liquor law enforcement. We also assess evidence-based strategies that more indirectly facABout CAPE sectilitate implementation of the direct policies mentioned above. These strategies include: control systems for the distribution and sale of alcohol; provincial and territorial alcohol strategies; monitoring and reporting of alcohol related harms; and health and safety messaging.
About the Federal CAPE Project
About the 2013 Provincial CAPE Project
Funding bodies
- 2019 Provincial and Territorial CAPE Project (CAPE 2.0): Health Canada, Substance Use and Addictions Program
- 2019 Federal CAPE Project (CAPE 2.0): Public Health Agency of Canada
- 2013 Provincial CAPE Project (CAPE 1.0): Canadian Institutes of Health Research
CAPE 2.0 Provincial and Territorial Reports and Summaries (2019)
CAPE 2.0 Federal Report (2019)
CAPE 1.0 Provincial Reports (2013)
CAPE Presentations and Webinars
Infographics and Fact Sheets
Academic Journal Articles
CAPE 2.0
- Strategies for engaging policy stakeholders to translate research knowledge into practice more effectively: Lessons learned from the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation project (Vallance et al., 2021, Drug and Alcohol Review)
- The Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation project: Findings from a review of provincial and territorial alcohol policies (Vallance et al., 2021, Drug and Alcohol Review)
- Alcohol retail privatisation in Canadian provinces between 2012 and 2017. Is decision making oriented to harm reduction? (Giesbrecht et al., 2020, Drug and Alcohol Review)
CAPE 1.0
- Comparing Alcohol Marketing and Alcohol Warning Message Policies Across Canada (Wettlaufer et al., 2017, Substance Use and Misuse)
- Strategies to reduce alcohol-related harms and costs in Canada: A comparison of provincial policies (Giesbrecht et al., 2016, The International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research)
- Pricing of alcohol in Canada: A comparison of provincial policies and harm-reduction opportunities (Giesbrecht et al., 2016, Drug and Alcohol Review)
Media Releases
CAPE 2.0
- The good, the bad and the ugly: New report cards on policies to reduce alcohol harms in Canada's 10 provinces and 3 territories(CISUR announcement, April 2019)
- Ontario Alcohol Policy Report Card(CAMH media release, April 2019)
- Canadian alcohol policy gets failing grade(UVic media release, February 2019)
- Sobriety Test: CAMH Report Rates Provinces on Alcohol Policies(CAMH media release, March 2013)
Media Coverage
CAPE 2.0
- Study finds B.C.’s regulation of alcohol is second-best in the country but still far from great (Black Press, April 2019)
- Daphne Bramham: Alcohol, not opioids, is Canada's biggest drug problem (Vancouver Sun/PostMedia, APril 2019)
- BC alcohol policy report card (Tim Stockwell on CBC Vancouver's Early Edition; segment starts at 2:41:45)
- Politiques sur l’alcool: la C.-B. et le Yukon sont derniers de classe (Radio-Canada, April 2019)
- Early Edition: Tim Stockwell on BC's CAPE report card (starts at 2:41:45) (CBC Vancouver, April 2019)
- Atlantic provinces failing to address alcohol problems: national study (Truro News, April 2019)
- Ontario's proposed alcohol policies will increase harms, researchers say (CBC News/Canadian Press, April 2019)
- B.C. gets near failing grade on implementing policies to reduce impacts of alcohol use, study says (CHEK News, April 2019)
- B.C. is second-best – though still bad – at regulating alcohol: study (CTV News, April 2019)
- Canadian governments must step up efforts to reduce alcohol-related harms, health studies find (Globe and Mail, Feb 2019)
- Alcohol policies fizzle for Canadian governments as harms overflow: reports (National Post, Feb 2019)
- Canadian alcohol policy gets failing grade from UVic researchers (Vic News, Feb 2019)
- Abundance of booze costing B.C. money and lives, researcher says (Vancouver Star, Feb 2019)
- Do more to combat alcohol’s harm: reports (Times Colonist, Feb 2019)
- Mixed results for Saskatchewan in Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation Reports (Prince Albert Daily Herald, Feb 2019)
- Territories get failing grades on curbing alcohol harms: study (CBC North, Feb 2019)
CAPE 1.0
- Quebec's legal drinking age isn't going to change, Legault says (CBC News, December 2018)
- Mandatory drunk driving tests hit the road before the holidays (CTV News, December 2018)
- Hamilton addictions expert concerned about fallout from expanded beer and wine sales (HamiltonNews.com, July 2018)
- Costs of liquor outweigh its revenues in B.C., study says (Times Colonist, August 2013)
- Alcohol one of Canada’s top health threats: Study (Toronto Star, March 2013)
Other Alcohol Policy Evaluations
- Rapid evidence review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of alcohol control policies: an English perspective. Burton, R. et al. (2017)
- Efficacy and the Strength of Evidence of U.S. Alcohol Control Policies. Nelson, T. et al. (2013)
- Alcohol: No ordinary commodity – research and public policy – Revised edition. Babor, T. et al. (2010)
- Light and heavy drinking in jurisdictions with different alcohol policy environments (Foster et al., 2019, International Journal of Drug Policy)
- A Comparison of Measures and Policies to Prevent Alcohol Problems among Youth across Canadian Provinces (Simpson et al., 2014, Canadian Public Policy)
Alcohol and Public Health Reports and Guidance
- Alcohol Harm in Canada: Examining Hospitalizations Entirely Caused by Alcohol and Strategies to Reduce Harm, Canadian Institute for Health Information (2017)
- Global Status Report on Alcohol and health, World Health Organization (2018)
- Harm to others from drinking: Patterns in Nine Societies, World Health Organization (2019)
- Status report on alcohol consumption, harm and policy responses in 30 European countries, World Health Organization (2019)
- Alcohol and inequities: Guidance for addressing inequities in alcohol-related harm, World Health Organization (2014)
- Health Impact Assessment, World Health Organization
Alcohol Consumption and Harm Data Tools
- The International Model of Alcohol Harms and Policies (InterMAHP)
- Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms (CSUCH)
- Alcohol consumption interactive data visualization tool (CISUR) BC only
- Alcohol and other drug interactive data visualization tool (CISUR) BC only
Alcohol and COVID-19
- COVID-19 alcohol and cannabis retail regulation, Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA)
Alcohol and Cancer
- Alcohol policies and Cancer, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization
- Raising awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, World Health Organization
Liquor Acts and Regulations
Alcohol Strategy Documents
Municipal Alcohol Policies
- At a glance: the eight steps to developing a healthy public policy, Public Health Ontario (2013)
- Building Municipal Alcohol Policy, Alberta Health Services
- Not Just a Walk in the Park: Unsupervised Alcohol Consumption on Municipal Properties in BC [Policy brief], Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (2021)
- Not Just a Walk in the Park: Unsupervised Alcohol Consumption on Municipal Properties in BC [Full report], Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (2021)
Background
The Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation Community of Practice (CAPE CoP) was developed as an accompaniment to the broader CAPE project, which is an ongoing assessment of alcohol policy across Canadian provinces, territories, and the federal government.
The CAPE CoP aims to establish a national alcohol policy community which builds and sustains long-term connections, collaborations, and professional development between diverse stakeholders, and increases both awareness and knowledge of emerging alcohol-related research and policies through a range of different mobilization activities and events.
The CAPE CoP is comprised primarily of a national email listserv, policy forums, roundtable discussions, research presentations, and capacity-building sessions related to alcohol policy.
How To Join
Fill out our member registration form and offer some initial thoughts and ideas on what the CoP activities and events should include. You will receive a listserv notification and welcome email once your membership is confirmed. If you have questions, please email capecopcoord@uvic.ca.
Upcoming Events
January 19, 2022, 9:30AM PST [Online Public Event – registration required]
Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation Community of Practice Launch Event!
This public launch event will feature an overview of CAPE research, an update on alcohol policy changes in Canada, and a look ahead at CAPE 3.0. We will also share our vision for the CAPE Community of Practice (CoP) and hear what the stakeholders (you!) would like to see happen in this space.
February 2022, 930AM PST Details to come
Event Recordings and Summary Notes
Terms of Reference
Read the Terms of Reference for the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation Community of Practice (CAPE CoP)
Lire les termes de référence de la Communauté de pratique de l'évaluation des politiques canadiennes sur l’alcool (CdP de l’ÉPCA)
Contact Us
- For any questions, comments, event, or activity suggestions related to the CAPE CoP, please email us at capecopcoord@uvic.ca.
- If you would like to offer feedback and suggestions on the CAPE project to help shape CAPE 3.0 in the coming year, please fill out our stakeholder survey.
- Join the CAPE CoP here.
Researchers
- Mark Asbridge (Co-Investigator | Dalhousie University, NS )
- Dr. Russell Callaghan (Co-Investigator |Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC; University of Northern British Columbia, BC)
- Dr. Marilou Gagnon (Co-Investigator | Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC)
- Norman Giesbrecht (Co-Principal Investigator | Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, ON)
- Robert Mann (Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON )
- Dr. Tim Naimi (Co-Principal Investigator | Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC)
- Jacob Shelley (Co-Investigator | Health Ethics, Law & Policy (HELP) Lab, Western University, ON)
- Dr. Adam Sherk (Co-Investigator | Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC)
- Kevin Shield (Co-Investigator | Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, ON)
- Robert Solomon (Co-Investigator | Western University, ON)
- Dr. Tim Stockwell (Co-Principal Investigator | Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC)
- Dr. Kara Thompson (Co-Investigator | St. Francis Xavier University, NS)
- Fariha Alam (Research Associate, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC)
- Amanda Farrell-Low (Communications Officer, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC)
- Kate Vallance ( Research Associate, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, Victoria, BC)
- Nicole Vishnevsky (Research Assistant, Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, BC)
- Ashley Wettlaufer (Methods Specialist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, ON)