Starting today, all parks and beaches in the city of Vancouver will be smoke-free.
The Vancouver Parks Board passed a new bylaw that will prohibit smoking year-round at all city parks, beaches, golf courses, sports fields, playgrounds, trails and other public park space.
"Vancouver is well-known as a healthy, clean and green city," said Vancouver Park Board Chair Aaron Jasper. "Smoke-free parks is a natural extension of that reputation."
A press release says the smoking ban was approved by the park board in April, citing ‘established medical evidence about the significant health dangers of smoking, the environmental and aesthetic impacts of cigarette litter, the risk of fire in our urban forests, results of public consultation and the successful experience of other jurisdictions." The City of Vancouver health by-law was also amended on June.10 to adhere to the new regulation.
Fines for first time offenders start at $250 and can go as high as $2000 for each offence. That fine can double to $500 if you are caught smoking in either a building, customer service area or a vehicle for hire such as a taxi or tour bus that is on park grounds.
