The province denied the Ford family a permit to serve alcohol at this Friday’s Ford Fest because the event was not deemed “municipally significant,” a spokesman for the government’s liquor control agency says.

“Only charities and events deemed municipally significant through a resolution of city council or a letter from a designated municipal official such as a municipal clerk are eligible for this type of permit,” said Jeff Keay, communications director at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.

“There was no city council resolution or letter deeming the event to be municipally significant so a permit was not issued,” Keay said. The Fords applied two weeks ago.

Ford Fests have been held for 19 years in Toronto. They started in the family home but have recently grown to large public events hosting thousands of people in Etobicoke and Scarborough parks. Last year, liquor permits were issued for both Ford Fests and were granted to Zlatko Starkovski, who runs the Muzik nightclub on Toronto’s waterfront and is known to the mayor as “Z.”

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This year, both Rob and Doug Ford, and the mayor’s spokesman, have said that lack of time prevented the Fords from obtaining the liquor permit, something that appears to be at odds with the provincial statement. This Friday, the first of two or three Ford Fests will be held at Thomson Park in Scarborough and will be a dry event with food and soft drinks.

On Monday, Mayor Ford said “it just was timing because obviously I didn't have enough time to get (the permit).”

Last year’s permit application for the July party was received by the provincial liquor authorities just two days before the event, according to an inquiry by the Star.

On Tuesday, Councillor Doug Ford, the mayor’s brother, also blamed lack of time to obtain a liquor permit. “We’re running a little behind there,” Ford said. “(Provincial liquor authorities) make you climb through hoops.”

The councillor, who is also his brother’s campaign manager, said he hopes they will have permits in time for other Ford Fests, which he said will be in Scarborough, North York and possibly an event downtown. Mayor spokesman Amin Massoudi also blamed “timing” and told the Star that “Ford Fest event organizers made every attempt to attain a permit to serve alcohol.”

According to provincial liquor authorities, Ford Fest organizers applied for a special occasion permit to sell liquor on July 7. Provincial officials would not reveal who applied for the permit on behalf of the Fords.

Beyond the issue of alcohol, other permits are required to hold a large event in a city park, including a permit from the city parks department and Toronto Public Health.

A city spokesman said the city will issue the municipal permits in time, though officials cautioned that with the municipal election three months away the event cannot feature campaigning.

When the Fords had Starkovski on the party application, they did not require a special occasion permit because Starkovski holds a liquor permit in connection with his business. However, the events last year did require “catering event” permits from the province, which were granted. This year, the Fords applied as private individuals, which meant they needed a special occasion permit to hold a public event.

Having Starkovski’s application to provide alcohol at last year’s Ford Fests was controversial because he, and people who work for him, were listed at the time as registered lobbyists in their attempts to contact city council members to seek improvements to the nightclub’s deal at City of Toronto-owned Exhibition Place. At the Ford Fests, Starkovski was responsible for the sale and service of alchohol.

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The Star previously reported that Mayor Ford has partied at Muzik earlier this year and people who were present say they saw him drunk, dishevelled and said he appeared to be high on drugs. Ford went to a two-month rehab stint shortly after these events and said this week, permit or not, he would not be drinking at Ford Fest.

With files from Jennifer Pagliaro

Kevin Donovan can be reached at kdonovan@thestar.ca or (416) 312-3503

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