June 12, 1998

 To:Board of Health

 From:Dr. Sheela V. Basrur, Medical Officer of Health

 Subject:Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) By-Law Stakeholder Consultation Plan

  Purpose:

 The purpose of this report is to provide the Board of Health with details of a stakeholder consultation plan designed to provide input into the components of a uniform Environmental Tobacco Smoke by-law and strategies to achieve the goal of 100% smoke-free public places.

 Funding:

Not applicable.

 Recommendation:

 It is recommended that this report be received for information.

 Council Reference/Background/History:

 At its meeting of April 21, 1998, the Board of Health recommended that the Medical Officer of Health consult with stakeholders regarding the components of a uniform Environmental Tobacco Smoke by-law and strategies to achieve the goal of 100% smoke-free public places, and report back to the Board of Health by the Fall of 1998 on the outcome of the consultation process. In addition, it was suggested that the Medical Officer of Health inform the Board of Health of the implementation strategy by which stakeholder input would be solicited.

 Discussion:

 Public consultation is an on-going process involving communication and interaction between an agency and the public. It is usually made up of a series of consultative activities, supported and connected by a combination of public information tools. Effective consultation will result in decisions that are more sensitive and responsive to public concerns and values. By reducing the potential for conflict, the consultation process should foster a more favourable climate for decisions.

 Since 1994, there has been extensive public consultation on environmental tobacco smoke by-laws in the six former municipalities of Toronto. Consultation strategies included public meetings, opinion surveys and focus groups. Random-sample public opinion surveys conducted by Angus Reid and Elliot Data demonstrated support and readiness for a 100% smoke-free by-law for all enclosed public places and workplaces and precludes the need to resolicit community input into the need for environmental tobacco smoke protection. Similarly, since 1994 consultations with stakeholders in the hospitality industry have been conducted via a variety of avenues. Industry issues identified in the consultation process included a perception of economic risk related to adoption of smoke-free status and a desire to avoid unfair economic advantage resulting from a lack of consistent smoking standards across the City of Toronto.

 A community consultation plan to achieve the Board of Health=s April 21, 1998 directive has been designed to solicit broad input from a variety of community stakeholders. The plan has the following objectives:

 (1)To obtain input on components of a uniform City of Toronto smoking by-law as they relate to public places that are not already 100% smoke-free.

 (2)To obtain input on strategies to achieve 100% smoke-free public places.

 The consultation plan reflects a selective approach which includes activities best suited to meet the consultation objectives. Public meetings, while an efficient method for conveying information directly and personally to a relatively large number of interested people, are not particularly effective for obtaining detailed information or arriving at decisions. Given the limitations of public meetings and considering the in-depth public debate on the issue of smoke-free public places that occurred throughout the City in the recent past, this activity is not included in the consultation plan.

 Selected consultation activities this summer will include a random telephone public survey and meetings with key stakeholders. These activities will solicit detailed input on specific components of a uniform by-law and strategies to achieve 100% smoke-free public places. Information will be solicited on specific areas such as designated smoking rooms, differences in non-smoking requirements for various establishments, various strategies to move toward 100% smoke-free (phased, staged or timed) and supports needed to achieve 100% smoke free. Key stakeholders include, but are not limited to, hospitality industry associations such as the Ontario Restaurant Association, the Ontario Chinese Restaurant and Food Service Association, and the Ontario Hotel and Motel Association, and health agencies such as the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco and the Canadian Cancer Society, and those groups that identified themselves as stakeholders in relation to smoking by-laws in the former municipalities of the City of Toronto. In addition to the opportunity to depute at the Board of Health, written submissions from interested parties will be accepted and this input incorporated into the final consultation report. See Appendix for timelines of the consultation plan.

 Conclusion:

 The stakeholder consultation plan outlined in this report is designed to inform the development of a harmonized smoking by-law for the City of Toronto that would provide a more consistent level of protection from ETS exposure and an action plan to achieve 100% smoke-free public places. The results of the consultation process will be included in a fall report to the Board of Health.

Contact Name:

 Liz Janzen, Regional Director, Toronto Health Unit

Tel:392-7458

Fax:392-0713

Email:ejanzen@city.toronto.on.ca

 Dr. Sheela V. Basrur

Medical Officer of Health

 Encl.

TIMELINE