The Story of Prohibition in Canada

Prohibition in Canada was that one era when the government decided alcohol was the villain of society and tried to ban (or at least heavily restrict) its production, sale, and distribution. It was a bold social experiment fueled by moral outrage, religious pressure, and health concerns, lasting from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Spoiler: It didn’t exactly go as planned.

Why Did Canada Go Full Party Pooper Mode?

• Moral Panic! – Religious and social groups were convinced alcohol was ruining families, fueling crime, and turning society into a lawless mess. Their solution? Ban the booze, fix the country! (Yeah… sure.)

• Health Concerns – People thought alcohol was a dangerous substance wrecking public health. Ironically, banning it just made people find way sketchier ways to drink.

• War Effort Logic™ – WWI was happening, and the government figured Canadians should make noble sacrifices—including their beloved drinks—for the sake of the troops. Because, obviously, banning beer was the key to winning a war.

The War on Booze: Canada’s Prohibition Backstory 🍺❌

Moral and Religious Movements: “Alcohol is the Devil’s Juice” ✝🔥

• A bunch of very serious temperance groups, like the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and various church organizations, were deeply convinced that alcohol was a one-way ticket to society’s downfall.

• They blamed drinking for pretty much everything bad in life—domestic violence, poverty, crime—and figured banning it would magically fix all those problems. (nuh uhh uhhhhh, It did not.)

Industrialization and Urbanization: Drunk Workers = Bad for Business 🏭🍷

• Canada’s cities were booming with new factories and a growing working-class population.

• Employers weren’t thrilled about workers rolling in a little too happy on Monday mornings, so alcohol started getting a bad rep for ruining productivity and breaking up families.

World War I: No Beer for a Good Cause 🎖🥃💔

• During WWI, the government decided that giving up alcohol was a noble sacrifice to support the war effort. Because apparently, if soldiers were suffering, Canadians at home should be suffering too.

• Grain that could’ve made beer? Nope. It was now going straight to feeding the troops. (Tragic.)

Canada’s Dry Spell: Prohibition Sweeps the Nation 🍻🚫

Provinces vs. Alcohol: The First Wave of Bans 🏛❌

1. - As early as the 19th century, provinces started dipping their toes into the whole “what if we just… stopped letting people drink?” experiment.

• By the early 20th century, most provinces had hopped on the bandwagon:

  • Prince Edward Island was the first to say “Not in my backyard” to alcohol, banning it in 1901. (PEI: Always ahead of the curve.)

  • Manitoba and Alberta joined the sober squad in 1916, followed closely by Ontario the same year.

Federal Prohibition: Canada’s Brief Attempt at a Nationwide Buzzkill (1918-1920) 🍾🔒

2. - WWI had the government in full “sacrifice mode”, so they went all in with a national alcohol ban in 1918 to “support the war effort.” (Because apparently, banning beer wins battles?)

• This lasted only two years (probably because people weren’t thrilled about it), but it paved the way for provinces to crack down even harder on alcohol. (Great.)

Challenges from Prohibition: The Struggle Was Real 🍷💔

1. Bootlegging and Smuggling: “You Can’t Stop the Party” 🚗💨

   • With alcohol illegal, the bootlegging industry went wild. People figured out how to keep the booze flowing underground.

   • The “rum-runners” were the real heroes here, smuggling alcohol across provincial borders and even into the U.S., where prohibition was also in full swing (1920-1933). Canada became America’s unofficial beer delivery service.

2. Organized Crime: Big Business for the Bad Guys 💵🍾

   • Criminal organizations saw this as the perfect opportunity to profit from the illegal booze trade. (And they did… in a big way.)

   • Cities like Windsor, Ontario, became booze-smuggling capitals, with Detroit, Michigan, right next door, waiting for their illicit deliveries. (I’m talking secret shipments and gangsters in fedoras, obviously.)

3. Social Backlash: “This is Un-American” 🤬🍻

   • A lot of Canadians weren’t having it—many saw prohibition as an infringement on their personal freedoms and felt pretty bitter about it.

   • To make matters worse, wealthy citizens often found ways to dodge the rules and kept partying like nothing happened, while working-class Canadians were stuck dealing with the restrictions. (Double standards, much?)

The End of the Dry Era: Prohibition’s Slow Fade 🍷✌

1. Gradual Repeal: "The Thirst Is Real" 🍻🔄

   • By the 1920s, Canada started realizing that maybe not drinking wasn’t the best long-term plan. Provinces began repealing prohibition laws and decided that alcohol sales were better off being government-controlled. (Not the most exciting change, but hey, at least you can buy booze legally again.)

   • Quebec was the first to say, “Okay, enough’s enough”, ending prohibition in 1919.

   • Prince Edward Island, always taking its sweet time, didn’t end its dry spell until 1948. (PEI was just that extra.)

2. Creation of Liquor Control Boards: "Show Me the Money" 💵🍸

   • To make sure the government could still get its share of the alcohol action, provincial liquor control boards were set up.

   • These boards were like the gatekeepers of booze: they regulated and taxed alcohol sales, which meant the government raked in the cash while still keeping a bit of control over the situation. (A little oversight, a little revenue... win-win.)

Impact of Prohibition: What Went Down (and Stayed Down) 🍷📉

1. Social Changes: “Class Divide, Now with Extra Alcohol” 🍸💥

   • Prohibition didn’t just ban booze, it also shone a light on the class and cultural divides in Canada. Wealthier folks and some immigrant communities were hit hardest by enforcement. (Because who else is actually buying that illegal booze?)

   • The whole thing also kicked off some deep talks about the balance between individual rights and the societal good. Should the government get to decide what you can and can’t drink? (Deep stuff, right?)

2. Economic Impact: "No More Beer Tax? Uh-oh." 💸🍺

   • The government didn’t just lose control of booze, they lost money—a lot of it. Without alcohol taxes rolling in, provinces were missing out on some major revenue.

   • Meanwhile, the black market was thriving like never before, showing just how hard it was to enforce a widespread ban on something people wanted so badly. (It was like playing whack-a-mole with bootleggers.)

3. Legacy: “Oh, So We’re Still Doing This?” 🍹📜

   • Prohibition didn’t just fade away into history—it left a lasting mark on Canadian liquor laws. Even after the dry days ended, many provinces still had super tight controls on alcohol sales.

   • Plus, it set a precedent for future government regulation of substances, like the recent regulation of cannabis. (Look at that full circle, Canada.)

Key Dates

• 1901: Prince Edward Island becomes the first province to enact prohibition.

• 1916-1917: Most provinces pass prohibition laws.

• 1918-1920: Federal prohibition during WWI.

• 1919: Quebec becomes the first province to repeal prohibition.

• 1948: Prince Edward Island becomes the last province to end prohibition

Key terms:

• Temperance: Advocates for controlled drinking rather than total abstinence from alcohol.

• Teetotaler: A person who completely abstains from drinking alcohol. Tea instead 😋

Prohibition

• Effectiveness: "Yeah, That Didn't Work" 🍸🚫

  • Prohibition was pretty much a flop—people were not going to give up their booze that easily. Even though it was banned, Canadians (and Americans) found plenty of creative ways to keep the drinks flowing.

  • Organized crime? Oh, it was booming! Criminals made bank from the underground alcohol trade. If anything, prohibition was like saying, "Hey, criminals, here's your chance to shine."

• Speakeasies: "Whisper, Knock, Drink!" 🕵‍♂️🍻

  • These were secret bars that were tucked away in basements or back rooms. You weren’t just walking in off the street—you had to earn your way into these hidden spots.

  • Some cool speakeasy names included the “Dizzy Club” or the “Blind Pig”—but only if you knew where to look.

  • To get in? You needed a password or a special coded knock. It was like a VIP club, but for drinking.

• Bootlegging: "The Undercover Liquor Trade" 🚤💨

  • Bootlegging was the name of the game—basically smuggling alcohol and making a fortune from it.

  • They’d move booze around in boats, and if the cops showed up? Oops, better toss it into the water and keep the party going.

• Flappers: "Breaking the Rules, One Drink at a Time" 💃🍸

  • Flappers were the women who tossed the rulebook out the window. They danced, drank, and dressed however they wanted, no judgment allowed.

  • These ladies were all about freedom and liberation, and they made speakeasies their go-to hangout.

• Black Performers in Speakeasies: "A Stage for Change" 🎤🎶

  • Speakeasies also offered a rare opportunity for Black performers to show off their talents, gain recognition, and move forward in society.

  • While it wasn’t perfect, it was a step in the right direction for social progress, offering chances for performers to be heard and appreciated.

Unintended Consequences of Prohibition

1. Organized Crime: "A New Business Opportunity"

   • Prohibition opened doors for illegal businesses to boom, especially those dealing with alcohol. Crime rings made a lot of money off of it.

2. Social Dynamics: "The Secret Drinkers' Club"

   • People didn’t just stop drinking—they created an underground culture. More secretive behavior and a strong resistance to the law started to spread.

Extra Info:

1. Canada Dry’s Role: "The Drink You Can Feel Good About"

   • Canada Dry was brought in to help Canadians feel better about not drinking during Prohibition. It wasn’t alcohol, but it helped ease the longing.

2. Flasks: "The Sneaky Sip"

   • People hid alcohol in flasks to keep their drinking habits low-key. It became the ultimate accessory for anyone looking to stay “on the DL.”

3. Prohibition as a Short-Term Cause: "Temporary, But Effective"

   • Prohibition was mostly a short-term solution during WWI—a quick fix to support the war effort, but not a long-term lifestyle.

4. No Drinking Age: "Who’s Checking?"

   • During this time, there was no set drinking age—rules were kinda chill until the government decided to step in and regulate things more.

5. No Alcohol During WWI: "Sober for the Soldiers"

   • There were several reasons behind the no alcohol during WWI stance:

     • Soldiers were away—no fun while they’re off fighting!

     • Religious reasons made people want to avoid booze.

     • Ingredients were needed for the soldiers’ food, not their drinks.

     • The alcohol that was allowed was sent overseas for "liquid courage".

6. Liquor Stores Before the War: "No Liquor, No Problem"

   • Liquor stores didn’t exist before the war. The demand for them kicked in after when people got serious about their alcohol.

7. Quebec’s Prohibition: "Quebec’s Brief Dry Spell"

   • Quebec went dry for about a year after WWI, but enforcement was so lax it was more of a "meh" than a serious attempt at prohibition.

8. Making Alcohol for Transport: "The Secret Brew"

   • While you couldn’t buy alcohol, people still made it and secretly sent it to the USA for profit.

9. Women Leading the Movement: "The Power of the Ladies"

   • Women played a huge role in pushing for Prohibition, driven by:

     • Domestic violence concerns.

     • Money wasted on alcohol by men.

     • The fact that abuse laws protected kids and animals, but wives often had to suffer in silence.

10. Prohibition’s Link to WWI: "Not Just a War-Time Thing"

• Prohibition had been brewing for decades, but it really took off during WWI when everyone was trying to make sacrifices for the war effort.