The provincial agency that oversees liquor rules gave the green light this week to four downtown bars and nightclubs to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. during the Escapade Music Festival this weekend, without the explicit support of the city.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario usually requires a letter of support from a municipality if an establishment applies to extend their alcohol-serving hours past the usual 2 a.m. However, that's not the case if an event is considered of "national or international significance."

And Escapade counts as being nationally significant, according to the AGCO, which has approved extended hours for a number of establishments for the past five years.

Councillor critical of AGCO decision

Three venues — Great Canadian Cabin/Plurr Night Club, Barrymore's Music Hall and Liquor Store Nighblu/the Green Room — successfully applied to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. on the nights of Saturday, June 24, and Sunday, June 25. City Night Club will also be allowed to serve into the wee hours on Saturday night only. The clubs will serve as after-parties for Escapade, which has booked some of its festival artists into these nightclubs.

While Escapade is taking place for the first time at Lansdowne, the clubs hosting the after parties are in Centretown and the ByWard Market.

"It's weird to me that an exemption would be given for a location that is way outside the venue … that you could tie it anywhere on any liquor licence related to that event," said Coun. Mathieu Fleury, whose ward includes the market.

He was critical of AGCO's decision to grant the licences.

"It highlights the challenges I've had with the AGCO for some time," he said. "They make decisions that have an impact on our community, from noise, from policing, from other elements of costs, and we really have, unfortunately, no say."

Rationale for 'national significance'

The AGCO appears to take a broad view of the term "event of national significance."

According to an emailed statement from the AGCO, Escapade counts as "national" because it's one of the largest music events in Eastern Ontario, attracts international and national performers and thousands have attended. (This year, Escapade is expecting 25,000 over two days.)

"We've got upwards of 40 per cent of our clientele that's coming from out of town, so we have a large tourism base to the festival as well," said Ali Shafaee, director of partnerships for Escapade.

Concerns over Escapade

There is extra attention on Escapade this year, not only because of its central location but also fear of overdoses in an era of lethal street drugs.

There have been issues of alcohol and drug-related problems at the electronic music festival in past years, including one festival-goer who died of a fatal overdose in 2014. With the incidents of opioid overdoses increasing in the capital, public health officials are voicing fears of what may happen this weekend.

Last week, the city's general manager of emergency services referred to Escapade and its after parties as events that worry emergency workers when it comes to opioid overdoses — and said the city is almost doubling the number of paramedics that will be at the festival.

Escapade organizers are also increasing security, as well as the number of Canadian Ski Patrol members, on-site to recognize and treat opioid overdoses.