Ontario Allows Bars to Sell Alcohol Starting at 6 AM for Feb. 22 Olympic Gold Medal Hockey Game

Finland goaltender Juuse Saros (74) makes a save during third period men's Olympic semifinal hockey action against Canada at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy on Feb. 20, 2026. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

Ontario’s government says indoor licensed areas of restaurants and bars in the province will be permitted to sell alcohol by 6 a.m. EST on Feb. 22, several hours ahead of the Team Canada men’s hockey team’s gold medal match in the Winter Olympics.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the temporary rules on Feb. 20 shortly after the men’s team defeated Finland 3–2 in the semi-finals.

Top-seeded Canada will face the No. 2-seeded United States in the gold medal game at 8:10 a.m. EST. The final showdown for gold comes after the United States beat Slovakia 6–2 in the other semi-final match-up.

“The entire country will be watching on Sunday morning as our men’s hockey team plays for Olympic gold,” Ford wrote.

“To help us all celebrate Team Canada, the province will be allowing bars and restaurants across the province to sell alcohol starting at 6:00 a.m. EST. Let’s all come together, support local businesses and cheer on Team Canada!”

Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission (AGCO) noted that the temporary change will not apply to outdoor locations or venues such as patios.

Earlier this month, Toronto city council also passed a temporary motion that allowed alcohol sales in the city to begin at 6 a.m. for the entirety of the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, which started Feb. 6 and end Feb. 22.

On Feb. 15, the city of Hamilton also said AGCO had granted its licensed bars and restaurants to start serving alcohol by 6 a.m. until the end of the Olympics.

Meanwhile, 57 businesses in Manitoba have been granted permission by the province’s Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority to start serving alcohol by 6 a.m. EST due to the gold medal game. Bars and restaurants in Saskatchewan were also able to apply to be able to serve alcohol starting at 6 a.m. during the Olympics.

Canada’s men’s team has won all five of its games so far at this year’s Winter Olympics, sweeping past Switzerland, France, and Czechia in the round robin, winning 4–3 over Czechia in the quarter-final, and defeating Finland 3–2 in the semi-final Feb. 20.

The American team also won its three round robin matches against Latvia, Denmark, and Germany, followed by a 2–1 overtime victory against Sweden in the quarter-finals and its 6–2 elimination of Slovakia on Feb. 20 in the semi-finals.

The United States last won a gold medal in men’s Olympic hockey in 1980 defeating the Soviet Union 4–3 in Lake Placid, N.Y., while the U.S. women’s ice hockey team took gold two days ago in Feb. 18’s 2–1 overtime victory over Canada.

Canada’s men’s team includes NHL players Sidney Crosby, Macklin Celebrini, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Drew Doughty. Both Crosby and Doughty previously helped Canada win gold at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Canada’s scoring so far this Olympics in men’s hockey is led by North Vancouver’s Celebrini with five goals, followed by Halifax’s MacKinnon with four goals and five players tied for third with two goals apiece including Crosby, McDavid, Mark Stone, Bo Horvat, and Nick Suzuki.