Public Safety Compliance Team (PSCT)

The Public Safety Compliance Team is the regulatory and enforcement arm of the City of Edmonton’s Responsible Hospitality Edmonton program.

RHE is the formal program established to address the promotion and creation of a safe and vibrant late night environment. This is accomplished by planning, managing, coordinating and policing the many elements of hospitality destinations throughout the city. Elements include vibrancy, quality of life, venue and public safety, late night transportation, patron responsibility, and community policing.

The work of Responsible Hospitality Edmonton is multi-disciplinary, corporate-wide and transformational. It requires collaboration across city and provincial departments, and with various industry partners to effect change to policy, municipal bylaw and Provincial Acts.

The PSCT is responsible for venue and public safety and derives its authority from the following legislation:

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46
Safety Codes Act, Regulation RSA 2000 S-1
Alberta Fire Code, 2006
Gaming and Liquor Act, (G-1 RSA 2000)
Gaming and Liquor Regulation, (143/1996)
City of Edmonton Bylaws
Municipal Government Act, s. 551(1)
Alberta FOIPP Act, s. 40

How does PSCT work?

The PSCT is education, prevention and enforcement-based. It consists of support and participation by the the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, City of Edmonton Community Standards Branch, and the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. It is recognized as a multi-agency team designed to coordinate the efforts of the municipal and provincial agencies involved in the licensing, regulation and enforcement of liquor licensed and non-liquor licensed* businesses and events involved in the hospitality industry. Education and enforcement is seen as a natural consequence to sub-standard performance related to compliance or safety issues.

Designed with efficiency and consistency in mind, the PSCT exists to improve the City of Edmonton’s commitment in working with establishments, commonly known as bars, nightclubs, venues, and events.

*The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission’s jurisdiction is limited to the regulation of gaming and liquor licenses and activities authorized by those licenses.

What does PSCT do?

The objectives of the PSCT are to:

• Develop a coordinated approach to work with the hospitality industry.
• Assist the hospitality industry in maintaining standards as outlined in such authorities as:
  • Federal statutes (i.e. Criminal Code)
  • Provincial statutes (i.e. Safety Codes Act and Alberta Gaming and Liquor Act)
  • Municipal bylaws
• Educate staff and managers in relation to safety issues surrounding the hospitality industry; i.e. responsible liquor service, crowd issues, and emergency plans.
• Create a single consolidated review process to ensure consistent criteria are applied to municipal license approvals and renewals.
• Identify systemic policy and operational challenges, and develop recommendations for resolution.