Men drinking wine [ca.1910]. Click the image for more details.

The movement against alcohol abuse began in the early 1800’s. The first temperance society was formed in Montreal in 1828, and a Toronto temperance society followed in 1834. The movement grew, and in 1862 Waterloo Township Tavern Inspector, Robert Cowan, found “that there were twice as many taverns as [the] Township needed". He insisted that the taverns were meant only for travelers, and it was his belief that the Waterloo Township Council should reduce the number of taverns for the moral good of the local residents.¹

In 1878, the Canada Temperance Act was introduced, which allowed local governments to hold special votes to determine if their counties would enact a local prohibition.² Waterloo was not one of the counties to apply the act, but there was still a local interest in prohibition. Waterloo County formed its own temperance association and had “many warm supporters among [their] Mennonite friends.”³

When the Royal Commission on the liquor tariff visited Berlin (Kitchener) in 1893, Berlin Mayor Lackner boasted about the “sober and thrifty” habits of his town. A number of other citizens chimed in, including Waterloo Inspector of Licenses, Mr. B. Devitt, who reported that Waterloo County had seven liquor licenses which was “a much larger number than needed” and that drinking contributed to most local poverty. He went on to recommend that a law be created “for a reduction [of licenses] every year for the next five years, and then Prohibition.” ⁴

Waterloo Chronicle article, October 19, 1893. Click the image to read full article.