Toronto nightclub's liquor licence suspended following fatal shooting
Commission says EFS Social Club violated licence requirement
A Toronto nightclub where a fatal shooting occurred has had its liquor licence suspended.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario reviewed video surveillance footage from the July 17 incident and said the EFS Social Club on 647 King St. W. violated a licence requirement.
The nightclub breached a condition that required "that every entrance to the premises during operating hours is staffed with at least one security person equipped with a metal detector and that the device is used on every person entering the facility, with no exception" under the Liquor Licence and Control Act (LLCA), the commission said in a statement.
As a result, AGCO registrar Tom Mungham has issued a suspension, effective immediately. The club will not be legally permitted to sell or serve alcohol for the duration of the suspension.
The commission is also seeking to revoke EFS Social Club's licence altogether.
"The AGCO takes a compliance-focused approach to regulation, and our goal is to work proactively with licensees to meet their regulatory obligations, Mungham said in the ACGO statement.
"But in cases that involve a significant breach impacting the public interest, the AGCO will take strong regulatory action to protect the public."
AGCO reviewed video surveillance and "had reason to believe" that a metal detector was not being used on every person entering the facility, it said.
Toronto police said officers responded to the nightclub on the early morning of July 17, where they found two gunshot victims inside. A 24-year-old woman and a 26-year-old man were rushed to hospital with injuries, but the man died at the hospital. The victim has been identified as Pardeep Brar, 26, of Brampton.
Licence holders who don't meet requirements under the LLCA are subject to regulatory action, including a monetary penalty, a temporary suspension of licence, or a revocation.
There are risk-based factors considered when granting a liquor licence, like metal detectors. Most establishments serving liquor do not require risk-based factors as a requirement for licensing.
"Risk levels are intended for premises and licensees where there is a greater risk to public safety, the public interest or non-compliance with the law," AGCO's website states.