The B.C. government is under pressure to tell smokers to butt out in all parks and patios in the province.
The Canadian Cancer Society says the province needs to standardize the rules across each municipality to protect citizens' health.
“What we have is a huge patchwork across the province,” said Barbara Kaminsky with the CCS. “This [ban] will allow us to protect all British Columbians from second hand smoke and its harmful effects.”
They’re calling for the province to enforce a ban from smoking at all patios in B.C., as well as outdoor spaces such as playgrounds, beaches and parks. The decision is currently left up to individual municipalities, thirty of which already have a park and patio ban in place.
Kaminsky said municipalities are looking for leadership from the province on the issue. The City of Burnaby was looking into a new smoking bylaw, but Burnaby Councillor Pietro Calendino said they didn’t pass one due to the confusion it could cause.
“With something like this you want standardization,” said Calendino. “If people go from one community to another they should know the rules are the same.”
But according to the Ministry of Health, it doesn’t look like a these restrictions will be provincially enforced anytime soon.
“We're recommending municipalities make these decisions,” said B.C. Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid.
With files by CTV British Columbia’s Jon Woodward
