With the Olympics right around the corner, one city councillor is looking to extend bar hours so people can enjoy a cold beer while cheering on Team Canada’s hockey teams.

Next Friday the Olympic torch will be lit. But when the games get under way, viewers will have to get up pretty early to watch some the events, because of the time difference between Toronto and Pyeongchang County, South Korea.

Coun. Mike Layton says that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to have a nice beer while you watch Olympic hockey.

“The Olympics are one of those occasions where people do want to be out and celebrating with rivals as well as with their other supporters of Team Canada,” he said.

“So I hope by doing this, that we’re just offering that opportunity.”

Layton wants to make it so that bars and restaurants can serve alcohol a little earlier than usually allowed, but only for the semifinals and finals of men’s and women’s hockey.

“What we’re looking at is those 7 a.m. games when restaurants could be open but they wouldn’t be able to serve alcohol,” Layton explained.

“While I’m not sure everyone will take the bar, restaurant up on it, I know from experience in 2014 that it was quite popular, that everyone went out for the gold medal game and celebrated with the rest of the country and around the world.”

Layton thinks even without NHL players taking part in the Olympics this year, people will still be cheering our men and women’s teams on.

“Canadians are right there behind their players, just like they would be in any other case.”