The legal drinking age in Canada is either 18 or 19, depending on the province or territory.

Quick Scoop

  • Age 18 : Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec.
  • Age 19 : British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut.
  • There is no single federal drinking age; each province/territory sets its own minimum legal drinking age (MLDA).

A bit more context

In Canada, alcohol rules are made at the provincial and territorial level, so someone who can legally drink in Montreal at 18 might still be underage in Vancouver or Toronto. This often surprises travelers and students who cross provincial borders for school, work, or holidays and suddenly find the rules changing on them.

Many recent guides (up to 2025) still confirm the same basic picture: 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec, 19 everywhere else. Some regions also allow limited underage drinking at home under parental supervision, but that depends on local law and does not change the public drinking age in bars, restaurants, or liquor stores.

TL;DR: When in doubt, assume 19 unless you are in Alberta, Manitoba, or Quebec, where it’s 18—and always double‑check local rules if you’re planning to drink.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.