Bylaw #052-2010
On June 1, 2010, the City of Thunder Bay implemented bylaw # 052-2010 prohibiting smoking around any playground equipment at city parks, beach areas and near entrances to recreation facilities.
Specifics of this new bylaw include:
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Smoking is prohibited within 10 metres of any playground equipment at city parks
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Smoking is prohibited within 10 metres from the edge of all beach areas
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Smoking is prohibited within 10 metres of all entrances to recreation facilities ie: arenas, etc.
Note: The Smoke Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking on school property at any time.
Benefits
BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR SMOKE FREE POLICIES:
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Clean play areas for our children
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Supports a tobacco-free message for our children
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Protects our children from secondhand smoke
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Reduces tobacco litter in parks and around recreation areas
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Restricting smoking around building entrances reduces the amount of secondhand smoke that can enter the building
Environment
REDUCTION OF POLLUTION AND LITTER:
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Garbage from tobacco products create more litter than anything else
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Cigarette butts can take decades to break down
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The ground and water can become polluted from chemicals in cigarette butts
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Children often think “everyone is doing it” when they see butts and empty spit tobacco tins on the ground
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If eaten, it takes only a few butts to seriously harm a small child
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Fish, birds and other animals can eat the butts and get sick
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Improperly discarded cigarette butts cause numerous fires every year
Restrictions
WHY DO WE NEED OUTDOOR SMOKING RESTRICTIONS?
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About 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered each year!
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These butts need to be kept out of the mouths of small children and animals and require regular clean up.
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Smoking around children encourages youth smoking.
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Youth are more likely to smoke when the adults around them do. Children may see this as expected behaviour.
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There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke: Secondhand smoke is known to cause cancer. Children must be protected because they breathe faster than adults, which means that they absorb more smoke and their immune systems are less developed.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
City of Thunder Bay
Licensing & Enforcement Division
625-2710
SUPPORTED BY:
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Tobacco Free Thunder Bay