Healthy Society
One of the most effective ways to lower alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms in our communities is through healthy public policies.
These best practice policies are important to reduce alcohol-related harms and to change cultural norms.
- Provincial Alcohol Strategy
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About the Provincial Alcohol Strategy (2026)
Building a Healthier, Safer Prince Edward Island
The Provincial Alcohol Strategy is a Government of Prince Edward Island initiative focused on improving health and safety by reducing alcohol-related costs and harms across the province. It emphasizes prevention and evidence-based action to support the health of all Islanders.
Why this Strategy MattersAlcohol is widely used in PEI, but it is also a leading cause of preventable disease, injury, and death.
- 1 in 3 Islanders drinks at levels considered high risk
- Alcohol is linked to serious health issues, including cancer, heart disease, and liver disease
- Alcohol contributes to 135 deaths and nearly 7,000 hospital visits per year in PEI
- Alcohol-related costs in PEI are over $131 million per year, and are $61 million higher than alcohol revenues.
What the Strategy Focuses On
Actions in the strategy fall under four priority areas:
- Preventative service delivery
- Healthy public policy
- Public safety and enforcement
- Public awareness
The Provincial Alcohol Strategy was developed with input from more than 1,100 Islanders, community organizations, and partners over several years.
What This Means for Islanders
- Lower risk of health issues like cancer and heart disease
- Improved mental health, sleep, and energy
- Safer roads and communities
- Prevention for youth
- Reduced costs and pressures on the healthcare system
The strategy does not propose increasing alcohol sales taxes or reducing the number of PEI Liquor outlets. The strategy is focused on “off-premise” outlets (PEI Liquor Control Commission), where most alcohol is sold, instead of “on-premise” outlets like bars and restaurants.
Learn More
To read the full strategy, visit: Provincial Alcohol Strategy
To learn more about substance use in PEI, visit: PEI Multi Substance Survey Results
- What "Grade" Does PEI's Alcohol Report Card Have?
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The Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE) gives an annual report of each province and territory on how strong their alcohol policy is. These policies are the most important things to lower alcohol related harms.
PEI has received three failing CAPE Report scores, including the most recent CAPE 3.0 Report for PEI.
- How Much Money Does PEI Spend on the Harms of Alcohol?
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The Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms (CSUCH) Report summarizes the costs of various substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, opioids and cannabis.
Alcohol is the leading cost of harms in Canada and PEI, compared to all other substances (including tobacco, cannabis and opioids). In 2020, substance use cost PEI more than $280 million, with $131 million of this (47%) being attributed to alcohol-related costs and harms.
Explore the data on the CSUCH visualization tool.
- PEI Alcohol Forum
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The Health Promotion Unit has hosted three Provincial Alcohol Policy Forums, since 2023. The goal of the forums has been to offer an opportunity to learn, network, and share information about alcohol policy best practices and alcohol-related harms in PEI. To learn more about the alcohol forums (including summary reports and presentation slides), checkout our Learning Opportunities page.
- Campus Alcohol Policy Project
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In October 2023, SHEA Lab released a report on "Strengthening Alcohol Policies on Atlantic Canadian Post-Secondary Campuses". This report provides a comparison of the current state of alcohol policies from 12 Atlantic Canadian Universities including UPEI.