Smoking in Public Places

By-law 174-2003, Smoking in Public Places, promotes and protects the health, safety and welfare of our residents and visitors to ensure that public places and work places are free from second-hand smoke.

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Highlights of the By-law
Information on Tobacco and Quitting Smoking
Responsibility of Municipal Building Managers
Reporting a Concern

Highlights of the By-law

In the City of Stratford, you are not allowed to smoke:

• Inside a public building
• In a bus or taxi, bars, bingo halls and casinos
• On all properties of the Stratford General Hospital
• Within 9 metres (30 feet) of an entrance or exit to a municipal (i.e.: city-owned) public building and bus shelters.  A municipal building includes transit facilities, bus shelters, community centres, libraries, pools, museums, art galleries, public washrooms, concession stands, fire halls, police stations, golf course clubhouse. An entrance or exit is any entrance or exit used by the public or staff to enter or exit a municipal building including an external serving window or concession stand.
• Within 9 meters (30 feet) of playground and recreation amenities in city parks.  A playground is any part of an outdoor area with play equipment including slides, swings and climbing equipment.  Examples of recreation amenities include dog parks, any buildings or shelters within a park, pools, spray pads, sports fields, skateboard parks, courts.

By-law 174-2003 includes a complete list of the smoking regulations and restricted areas.

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The Responsibility of Municipal Building Managers

Municipal building managers are responsible for making sure signs are posted to indicate where smoking is not allowed. They must take reasonable steps to ensure that smoking does not take place within non-smoking areas. All municipal staff may take reasonable steps to ensure that smoking does not take place within non-smoking areas by:

• Asking people to extinguish the cigarette, cigar, or pipe 
• Refusing them service  
• Requesting they leave 
• Contacting the Stratford Police Service at 519-271-4147, if someone refuses to co-operate

Province-wide legislation speaking to no smoking in work places and public places continues to remain in effect.

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Reporting a Concern

If you have a concern about someone smoking in a public place where smoking is not allowed:

• First discuss your concern with the smoker or the building manager;
• If you can't resolve it directly, record the location of the violation and a description of the problem.

The ability to enforce individual infractions is limited but areas with higher incidence may be targeted and patrolled by enforcement officials.  Enforcement of the By-law through targeted blitzes may be used in problem areas on a complaint basis.

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Protecting Your Privacy

Personal information collected is pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act/Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will be used for the purpose of responding to your request.  Questions about this collection should be directed to the Clerks Division at 519-271-0250 ext. 237.

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