The provincial government is proposing legislative changes to give enforcement officers more power to issue tickets for smoking in public spaces.
Currently, inspectors can only write compliance orders to managers and employers, while peace officers can only ticket people smoking in a vehicle around children.
The changes would allow tickets to be issued for smoking in the following places:
· on patios and all similar outdoor public facilities where food and/or alcohol is served and within three metres of the patio’s boundary;
· within nine metres of doorways, windows and air intakes of enclosed public places and indoor workplaces;
· on or within 20 metres of children’s equipment and sports areas located in an outdoor public place;
· on or within nine metres of a public walking or jogging trail in an outdoor public place;
· within the boundaries of provincial parks except within the boundaries of rented campsites, golf courses and designated areas within the park; and
· on the grounds of regional health authorities.
Proposed fines could range from $140 to $1,100.
The proposed changes are posted online for public review for 28 days, so the public has until August 2nd to provide feedback HERE
