VANCOUVER -- Oula Hamadi has been running her business, the Kayan Shisha Cafe in Burnaby, for seven years now. Her two daughters also work at the hookah bar, which she said caters to regular customers who come in to socialize and play board games.

However, she told CTV News she’s now facing the loss of her family’s livelihood due to proposed smoking regulations being considered by the city.

“This is becoming a very, very big concern and urgent matter for us,” Hamadi said. “We will have to claim bankruptcy.”

The city is looking at adopting stricter rules around smoking, which would include prohibiting the use of hookahs inside businesses.

A report from the city manager stated “The American Lung Association reports that hookah users often perceive it to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes, but studies show that the smoke contains many of the same toxic components found in cigarette smoke, such as nicotine, tar, and heavy metals."

“It is therefore recommended that the City’s proposed regulation include prohibiting smoking of tobacco products, vaping products, as well as any other weed or substance within businesses premises and customer service areas,” the report said.

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley spoke in favour of the proposed regulations at a meeting on Sept. 14.

“While some people perceive vaping and hookah use to be safer alternatives, these products may also contain harmful toxins,” Hurley said. “While the province does regulate tobacco and vapour use, we as a city have the power to set higher standards that will protect the health of our community.”

Living Room hookah lounge manager Valentina Ripanu said customers come to their establishment specifically to use hookahs.

“We’re upset,” she said. “They’re taking away our culture, they’re taking away everything we’ve worked for, they’re taking away our jobs.”

The Living Room Lounge has only been open since last summer. Owner Mike Munther said they spent over $200,000 on the ventilation system alone, and custom-designed their own hookahs.

“It is a shock. I’m very, very stressed right now,” he said. “We have debt, we have so many loans to build this, and we cannot make it.”

Bula Hookah Lounge owner Nathan Chand said they just opened in February after taking out a $350,000 loan, and like other businesses, struggled after having to temporarily close when the pandemic hit.

“We took a big risk, and I didn’t actually think that when I received my licence from Burnaby that they would just decide to take it away,” Chand said.

Hamadi also found it ironic her business was able to receive government loans to help survive the pandemic, only to face losing it.

She said she met with Mayor Hurley last week, and is hoping the city will grandfather existing businesses so they can be exempt.

“I am very hopeful,” she said.

An online petition in support of Burnaby’s hookah lounges had over 1,300 people signed on by Monday evening.

Mayor Hurley was not available for an interview on Monday. The proposed regulations are set to come back to city council on Oct. 26.