A debate on whether alcohol corporations should be able to sponsor city events has motivated Halifax Regional Council to consider implementing a municipal alcohol policy.

Halifax regional council has agreed to allow alcohol companies to sponsorship municipal events as long as they promote a “responsible drinking” message.

That means alcohol advertising for HRM facilities such as the oval skating rink or municipal events like Natal Day are permitted as long as healthy moderation is attached.

During the debate on Tuesday some councillors warned about the harmful effects glamourizing the use of alcohol could have on young people in the city.

HRM staff told council they tried make the rules on sponsorship of events and naming rights as flexible as possible. So council also asked for the creation of a municipal alcohol policy.

Coun. Jennifer Watts said different communities include different measures.

“You know the bar scene and about the hours, the length of hours if that’s appropriate or not. The other issues I think the communities are looking at are even around the zoning issues that are happening. So I think you can be quite broad,” she said.

It could take up to a year to develop a municipal alcohol policy.

In the meantime, the decision to include responsible drinking initiatives won't take effect for four months.

In November Oland Brewery, which makes Alexander Keith's beer, cancelled its sponsorship of public events because of controversy about the optics of alcohol companies sponsoring events aimed at children.

There was also a controversy after Molson Coors became a sponsor at the skating oval.