Popular tourist destination Banff, Alberta, announces a ban on smoking and vaping in public places.
The bylaw prohibits smoking in parks, trails, sidewalks, pedestrian zones, bus stops and outdoor events and markets.
Applying to both residents and visitors, smokers will be allowed to puff only in parking lots, on private property and alleyways.
The town council approved Bylaw 467, the Smoke Free Public Places Bylaw, by a vote of 5 to 1 on Monday.
It also stops anyone from smoking within 10 metres of a child under the age of 18 who is not under their direct custody or care.
“I encourage anyone to go walk around the river and clean up cigarette butts when the thaw happens because there are thousands of cigarette butts out there in our townsite and that is the main reason I am very supportive of this,” Banff mayor Corrie DiManno said.
“ASH is very pleased with the proposed smoking bylaw,” Les Hagen, the executive director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Canada said during Monday’s council meeting.
“Tobacco use kills 50 times more Canadians than cannabis and therefore any restrictions that can be placed on cannabis can certainly be justified for tobacco.”
The new bylaw will come into effect Feb. 1, 2023.
Anyone found breaking the rules could face a $250 or $500 fine, depending on the offence.
