Canada’s brewers set aside competition to lead fight against drinking and driving

OTTAWA, ONTARIO ‐ September 18, 2015 – Canada’s brewers, who have been committed advocates of the responsible use of their products for decades, today launched Partners for Safer Communities, a joint initiative to promote the use of designated drivers, reduce the incidence of drinking and driving, and prevent underage drinking. Beer Canada is launching this unifying initiative as an industry first for competitors to work together to advance social goals.

“Canada’s brewers have long taken the lead when it comes to encouraging moderation and responsible drinking, and we’ve done it again with this new, one‐of‐a‐kind initiative,” said Beer Canada chairman, John Sleeman. “Partners for Safer Communities is a powerful signal that, although we’re individual brewers in a fiercely competitive industry, there’s strength in putting our differences aside and taking action together to promote responsible drinking.”

Brewers are setting aside normal day‐to‐day market competition to work together and challenge their employees to participate in a “day in the trade” to promote safer communities through responsible drinking. The national launch will be hosted by Beer Canada president Luke Harford, representing 32 brewers across Canada. It will be attended by Mark Saunders, chief of the Toronto Police Service, and Beer Canada members Charles Bierbrier, founder of Bierbrier Brewery; George Croft, CEO of Brick Brewing; Jan Craps, president of Labatt Breweries; Tommaso Magnotta, general manager, Magnotta Brewery; Stewart Glendinning, CEO of Molson Coors Canada; and John Sleeman, founder and chair of Sleeman Breweries.

Beer Canada is a national trade association that advocates on behalf of its 32 members to ensure Canadian brewers are able to operate in a healthy regulatory environment and that beer remains a celebrated part of Canada’s culture. A November 2013 Conference Board of Canada study found that beer supports one out of every 100 jobs in Canada, generates $5.8 billion in government revenues, and contributes more than $14 billion to the domestic economy.

For further information contact:

Brittany Moorcroft

Manager, Member Services and Communications
613‐232‐9601 ext. 225
bmoorcroft@beercanada.com