Event Central has developed several tools in collaboration with City Services to assist you in planning your event, completing your application and support documents.
Event Guide
Event Central’s Event Guide includes special event permit requirements, best practices, and templates.
New in 2022!
- Online application portal guide
- Diversity and Inclusion best practices
- Municipal Alcohol Policy guidelines
- Alcohol Management Plan template
- Checklist for patio extensions
- Updated drone usage guidelines
- Updated health, safety, and wellness resources
- COVID-19 Event Toolkit
Emergency planning guide
Emergency Planning: A Guide for Event Organizers is a comprehensive guide created to assist event organizers in understanding their responsibilities, assessing risks and hazards at events, best practices, and completing the online emergency plan tool.
Emergency plan online tool
To assist event organizers in meeting SEAT requirements, Event Central, in consultation with City of Ottawa Emergency Services, has developed an online Emergency Plan tool that can be used by organizers to create an emergency plan.
The tool is available to organizers applying for a special event permit through the permit application web portal. The tool asks a series of questions and inputs responses into a template that can be downloaded and printed by organizers for use during actual event operations.
Serving alcohol
Licensing
Notice: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the AGCO continues to accept applications for Special Occasion Permits. However, permit applications related to prohibited public events and social gatherings will not be processed until after the emergency order has been lifted or modified.
Careful planning and preparation are required when there will be alcohol sales, service, and consumption at an event. Alcohol licensing is provincially regulated through the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The event organizer must obtain the appropriate permit through the AGCO and adhere to AGCO regulations. For information regarding types of permits and requirements, visit www.agco.ca or call 1-800-522-2876.
Notification to local authorities
For outdoor events, the AGCO will require the applicant to provide notification to local authorities such as police, fire, building code and public health departments. To notify the municipality that you will be serving alcohol outdoors, complete and submit the online notification form. Once you submit the form, it will be sent to the Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Fire Prevention, Ottawa Paramedic Service, Centralized Allocations, Ottawa Public Health, Building Code Services, and Event Central.
You will receive an e-mail confirmation from Event Central when notification is received, which you can attach to your application in the iAGCO portal.
If the event is open to the public and the applicant is neither a registered charity nor non-profit organization, a Letter of Municipal Significance is required to obtain a Special Occasion Permit. For enquiries, email EventCentral@ottawa.ca.
Site requirements for Municipal Property
Events occurring outdoors on City property (on-street and off-street) must meet the conditions outlined in section 4.3 of the Municipal Alcohol Policy. Refer to Appendix A of the policy for sample site plans for special events selling alcohol on municipal property.
Guide to serving alcohol at your event
Please consult the Guide to Serving Alcohol at your Event for more information and tips to help you execute your event safely. A safe event is one where event hosts ensure that there is no intoxication, disorderly conduct or promotion of immoderate consumption and that patrons less than 19 years of age are not consuming alcohol. Harms from alcohol can include injuries, violence, property damage, drunk driving, verbal abuse, and fights.