Smokers will have to butt out on pub and restarant patios under the city’s tougher new smoking control bylaw.
In addition, smoking will be prohibited within 7.5 metres of entrances, windows and air intakes to public/workplace buildings, and within 15 metres of outdoors sport facilities, playgrounds, off-leash dog areas and picnic areas in city parks. On Monday, council gave three readings to amendments to the city’s smoking control amendment bylaw.
“In order to respond to the concerns of our own citizens, I think we need to do this. …I think it’s a fair compromise,” said Coun. Jaimie McEvoy.
On several occasions, city council has considered a request from Fraser Health for tougher smoking restrictions in public places. Until Monday, however, council couldn’t agree on how to handle the issue, with some councillors supporting complete bans in all public areas and others voicing concern about how the changes would affect people in parks or attending functions at facilities such as Queens Park Arena.
A staff report stated that some cities (Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey and White Rock) have implemented total smoking bans within their parks, while others (West Vancouver, District of North Vancouver and Richmond) have restricted smoking within certain distances from outdoor gathering places – such as playgrounds – in parks.
Coun. Bill Harper thanked staff for coming back with amendments that could be supported. Coun. Jonathan Cote agreed what’s being proposed is a “compromise solution” that allows the city to move forward on an issue that has been somewhat divisive.
Coun. Betty McIntosh noted that Fraser Health will take a leadership role in enforcing the restrictions and educating people about the changes. McIntosh, a strong proponent for the tougher bylaw, looks forward to being able to tell Canadian Cancer Society officials that the city has finally agreed to tougher smoking restrictions in New Westminster.
According to the staff report, 12 local governments in Metro Vancouver have already prohibited smoking on outdoor patios. Because almost all restaurant and pub patios in New Westminster have voluntarily been made nonsmoking by their owner, staff say the smoking ban on patios will only impact a small number of businesses.
