RCMP steps up enforcement after public alcohol concerns
Iqaluit city councillors thank detachment commander for increased efforts
Sgt. Vlatko Nikolovski, at front left, speaks to Iqaluit council Tuesday night on progress the RCMP has made over concerns about public alcohol consumption. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
This story was updated on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
After facing tough questions two months ago, Iqaluit RCMP’s detachment commander was met with gratitude from city councillors Tuesday night when he described how police are responding to concerns over public drinking.
“I’m very happy to see that 38 [Nunavut Liquor Act] charges were laid for the month of October,” said Deputy Mayor Kim Smith, following Sgt. Vlatko Nikolovski’s presentation to council.
That number, which Smith pulled from Nikolovski’s report, was a sharp increase in Liquor Act charges over the seven charges laid in September and 11 in August.
In September, councillors echoed their previous call for action over safety concerns around the beer and wine store. They directed most of their criticism at the Government of Nunavut.
At the time, Nikolovski assured them the RCMP was in the “fight” with them.
“I do see that effort and I thank you for putting in the work because I know it’s a high priority for this council and for our community,” Smith said Tuesday.
Overall, October was this year’s third-busiest month for the RCMP in Iqaluit, with officers responding to 1,027 calls for service, according to Nikolovski’s report.
He pointed out that police have been increasing foot patrols in areas such as the beer and wine store and inside some of Iqaluit’s bars.
In October, the RCMP had one of its police dogs in town and brought it to public engagement activities with kids to teach them the services the dog performs.
But they also put the dog and its handler to work.
“They were able to intercept a large shipment of liquor and marijuana at the airport,” Nikolovski said.
The dog also played a role in finding liquor that was being sent to another community and took part in a series of drug-related warrants that were carried out, resulting in 10 arrests.
Nikolovski gave councillors a list of some liquor patrols that occurred in areas such as Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park and the Road to Nowhere.
“I commend you and your team for doing that,” Coun. Amber Aglukark said, adding the RCMP has put “some hard work into action.”
Correction: This story has been updated to correct a previous month’s Nunavut Liquor Act charge statistic for August, which was mislabeled.
What is Iqaluit By-Law involvement in regards to enforcement and public safety? Shouldn’t they have a role in curbing this kind of behavior by handing out tickets or something?
If you read the legislation…….for criminal-law offences (e.g. drunk driving, public intoxication, open-liquor offences), RCMP is the responsible authority who can press charges or take any action. Not bylaw officers.
Liquor Act offences like open liquor and public intoxication are not criminal offences. If you read the legislation…..
Not a crime to be intoxicated in public yet. But I’m sure that many people who comment here would love to see it become a crime with a mandatory penitentiary term. Right?
Section 175 of the Criminal Code makes it an offence to cause a disturbance in public while drunk. Being intoxicated alone isn’t illegal, but if the behaviour becomes disruptive (fighting, yelling, impeding others, etc.), it’s a chargeable offence.
The city is capable of creating municipal laws like public drunkenness and have by-law enforce them. Municipalities are also able to have their by-law officers sworn in as peace officers, where they would be given authority to enforce criminal laws. For some reason the city of Iqaluit refuses to do any of theses.
By-law officers can only enforce municipal by-laws. They don’t have the authority or jurisdiction to enforce territorial, provincial, or federal laws.
Incorrect. They enforce the traffic act which is a territorial law
Incorrect, they enforce the City of Iqaluit’s Traffic Safety By-law. Yes, Nunavut has a Traffic Safety Act, but Municipal By-law can’t enforce them. Municipal By-law officers have no authority or jurisdiction to enforce territorial, provincial or federal laws. They can only enforce by-laws, this is why they are called by-law officers.
You’re looking for section 318 (2) of the territorial Traffic Saftey Act. It makes Bylaw Officers and RCMP Officers able to enforce territorial traffic laws.
This is a power, not an obligation, and applies only to the Traffic Saftey Act. Bylaw are not enforcement for under the Liquor Act (that I’m aware of).
RCMP are the ones contracted by the territory. Bylaws priorities are set by Council.
They’re peace officers in iqaluit ,they can enforce Territorial laws
By-laws can in fact arrest people in any circumstance whether it be no insurance on your vehicle or no registration by-law CAN arrest you
By-law officers cannot arrest anyone. They can detain people, but not arrest them. People cannot be arrested for not having their vehicles registered or insured. It is not a criminal office. They can be fined, but not arrested. If they had the authority to make arrests, they would be doing more than issuing tickets.
I’ve been arrested before by the bay-law for not having insurance so tell me where I can find the law book that says they’re not allowed to arrest people?!
Either you don’t know your rights and freedoms or your leaving something out. By-law officers cannot arrest anyone. They can only detain. If you got ‘arrested’ by by-law, they would have to call in the RCMP or the local police department. If you got ‘arrested’ by by-law for having no insurance, your rights were violated. Driving offences such as no insurance, vehicles not registered, even driving without a license are not criminal offences. You can only be fined, not arrested.
A little research goes a long way. If you don’t believe me, ask a lawyer.
Still to this day I asked them what was the reason they arrested me and got no answer at all being a local someone that’s from here and an inuk. there’s a lot of rights and freedoms that are always violated for us Inuit by such people with “power” and get away with it 🤷🏽♂️
Just do what rankin did and cut daily limits by half, gotta try something, rcmp cant control peoples habits.
First of all, going to the B&W is certainly no stellar customer experience. It is what it is however, and I try to limit my trips there. You see, there’s this thing called “law abiding citizens”, you know, that drink responsibly and just want to be left alone and be able to enjoy a beer and watch a hockey game, or whatever. But why is it that when there are issues, people’s first impulse is to punish everyone, rather than go after the people that are creating the problems? Is it a denial thing? Is it a discussion that makes us uncomfortable? You know, It’s bad enough we have a soviet style system here, which is rare to find anywhere else in North America, let’s make it a little more draconian, that should help! Well it won’t. All you’ll accomplish is you’ll make it more inconvenient for people. Here’s a thought. Do like they do in the South and arrest people who break the law. Wow, what an amazing concept!
The comments section reads like lawyers going to and fro in a John Grisham novel.😃
Waiting for some one to slam table and shout, “You can’t handle the truth!!!”
👿🤬
Let me have a cold one pondering this topic.
B&W has been brought up few times! Only to hear from Minister of finance or whoever finance he is! “NOPE” that was little while ago