It’s about to be a very different type of patio season for some people as smoking is now banned from all playgrounds, sports fields and patios.
Officials with York Region Public Health admit the first few months of summer might be a challenge. And to help people butt out, public health officers in York Region and Simcoe – Muskoka are taking a proactive approach to the new legislation.
“We’ve probably done well over 550 patio inspections. We’ve worked with all our municipalities, all nine of them, to provide signage and talk about what responsibilities are,” says Vito Chiefari, Manger, Health Protection – York Region.
Signs are being put in parks across the province. Right now is an education grace period but that will change as summer progresses.
Health officials say while they will be out enforcing the new laws, charges typically stem from complaints so the onus is on people who have a problem with the law breakers to call and complain.
“If we determine issues with compliance, at that point we would be laying charges. Those charges start $305 and would go against likely the owner/operator and on occasion the patrons who are smoking,” says Martin Kuhn with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
So far no fines under the new legislation have been handed out in York Region or Simcoe – Muskoka.
Along with the provincial laws, municipalities across our region have their own no smoking by-laws, some of them even stricter but it’s up to the municipality to enforce them.
The City of Barrie implemented no smoking by-laws in 2009, since then no tickets have been handed out.
