Calgary's top cop is calling for Alberta to raise the legal drinking age to reduce violence in bars and drunk driving.

Chief Rick Hanson said the current drinking age of 18 should go up by at least one year and perhaps as high as 21.

Calgary police Chief Rick Hanson spoke to the Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
(CBC)

In a speech to the Chamber of Commerce Thursday, the chief said he knows the move wouldn't please bar owners but it would make Calgary safer.

"I grew up in a time when the [drinking] age was 21. And I know people will, say, make all kinds of arguments about how you can serve your country overseas when you're under 19 and all that and OK, that's fine, that's fair," Hanson said.

"But what we have to be concerned about is making the streets and the bars safe for the majority of people."

Bar owners on Calgary's popular 17th Avenue had mixed reviews on Hanson's comments.

"I think it would be a better thing because you are just going to weed out all your ruffians," said David Yee of Classic Jack's Bar.

Hanson also said he wants to see changes in how much bars can charge for drinks, citing $1 and $2 specials as part of the problem.

P.J. L’Heureux who owns the Whiskey nightclub said he believes only more police — not a higher drinking age — will curb violence in bars, but he supports a minimum drink price.

"It'll bring in a better crowd but I don't think that it's going deter people from drinking," he said. "If you want to drink …you can go to the liquor store and get it for cheaper than you can get at a bar."

The province said Thursday changes are not in the works.
 
"Currently we're not planning it because … in isolation it's likely to be ineffective," said Marilyn Carlyle-Helms, spokeswoman for the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission.

"It's much better to look much broader at prevention and training and enforcement and education."

A report last year by a provincial roundtable on curbing bar violence proposed restricting service hours, raising the drinking age beyond 18 and establishing minimum drink prices.

At the time, the province said it would consider the recommendations.