Greater Victoria’s parks, playgrounds and beaches could soon become non-smoking areas.
Capital Regional District staff are recommending local politicians extend the existing CRD Clean Air Bylaw to include all parks, public playgrounds, public squares and beaches.
As well, they recommend the current buffer zone for smoking near doorways, open windows and air intakes be extended to seven metres from three metres.
The issue is to be discussed Wednesday at the CRD’s planning, transportation and protective services committee.
“Personally, I think it’s well worth following through on,” said Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins, committee chairwoman.
Smoking restrictions for public safety reasons, such as risk of fires, fall under the jurisdiction of municipalities. However, the CRD has exclusive authority to enact and enforce public health bylaws, CRD staff said.
Chief medical health officer Dr. Richard Stanwick strongly recommends expanding the bylaw.
In a report to the CRD, Stanwick said an expanded bylaw would reduce the exposure of the public to second-hand smoke, primarily benefitting children and youth, provide positive role models to children and youth in public settings and reduce the potential poisoning of young children and pets who swallow cigarette butts.
About 14 jurisdictions in B.C., including Nanaimo, Tofino, Powell River and Greater Vancouver, already ban smoking in parks and playgrounds as well as on beaches.
Stanwick said a 2005 Ipsos Reid survey found 90 per cent of respondents supported CRD smoke-free bylaws and a 2009 Angus Reid survey found 74 per cent supported expanding the provincially mandated buffer zone near doorways and windows.
CRD staff began looking at the possibility of extending the bylaw at the request of Victoria and Sidney.
Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin said he would be pleased to see an expansion of the Clean Air Bylaw.
“It’s something that the City of Victoria is extremely interested in,” Fortin said.
CRD staff said there would be costs associated with the bylaw extension for things such as signs, enforcement and public education as well as the cost of drafting the bylaws.
Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard said he’s open to the idea of expanding the bylaw ,but will wait to see what comes forward before making a decision.
He hopes a common sense approach is used in drafting any bylaw.
“If it makes sense to people, you don’t really have to enforce it. The community accepts it as common sense,” Leonard said.
