Creation of No-Smoking Area,
Glass House, City Hall, Ward 24
(City Council on December 16 and 17, 1998, deferred consideration of this Clause to the next regular meeting of City
Council to be held on February 2, 3 and 4, 1999.)
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(Clause No. 7 of Report No. 15 of The SpecialCommittee to
Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team)
The Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team recommends the adoption of the
Recommendation of the Sub-Committee - Relocation of All Members of Council to City Hall, embodied in the
following communication (December 3, 1998) from the Interim Contact, Sub-Committee - Relocation of All
Members of Council to City Hall:
Recommendation:
The Sub-Committee - Relocation of All Members of Council to City Hall, recommends that Council declare the area, at
City Hall, adjacent to the Glass House, the Official Garage, and the employee garage to be no smoking areas as of January
1, 1999, and that notices advising staff of this be posted, along with "no smoking" signs.
Background:
The Sub-Committee - Relocation of All Members of Council to City Hall, on December 2, 1998, had before it a report
(November 6, 1998) from the Commissioner of Corporate Services respecting Creation of No-Smoking Area, Glass House,
City Hall.
The Sub-Committee's actions are noted above.
(Report dated November 6, 1998, from the
Commissioner of Corporate Services
addressed to the Sub-Committee - Relocation
of All Members of Council to City Hall.)
Purpose:
To report on the feasibility of turning the area adjacent to the Glass House and the Official Garage into no smoking areas
and to investigate alternative areas for smokers.
Source of Funds:
None required
Recommendations:
It is recommended that Council declare the area adjacent to the Glass House, the Official Garage, and the employee garage
to be no smoking areas as of January 1, 1999, and that notices advising staff of this be posted, along with " no smoking"
signs.
Background:
At the Sub-Committee meeting of October 6, 1998, your Committee requested a report on the feasibility of turning the area
outside the Glass House and the Official Garage into no smoking areas, and also requested that alternative areas for
smokers be investigated.
In 1988 Council approved as Smoking Policy for the former City which prohibited smoking in all of the Corporation's
workplaces. The policy stated smoking was prohibited anywhere within City Hall. The garages and taxi tunnel, including
the area outside the Glass House, are considered part of the workplace, however the policy was never enforced in these
areas. Subsequently a workplace smoking by-law, for all workplaces in the City, was also passed however it has also not
been enforced in these area.
The Official Garage is used by many staff to smoke, especially during the winter months. Concerns about health impacts
and the unsightly condition of the garage have been raised. Council may direct that they wish the policy and the by-law
enforced by declaring these areas to be a no smoking areas. An effective date of January 1, 1999 will provide adequate time
in order for appropriate signage, notifying staff of this designation, to be posted along with " no smoking" signs. Once this
is in place the workplace smoking by-law and the policy can be enforced.
It is difficult to provide alternate areas for smokers other than outside the building. In the past we have explored the
possibility of creating an amenity on Nathan Phillips Square with benches and ashtrays in order to try to move smokers
away from the front doors. Due to the events held on the Square, this was only possible on the periphery of the Square
where there is no protection in inclement weather. Ashtrays installed some distance from the front entrance have only been
marginally successful in moving smokers away as there is protection from the elements at the doors. By making outdoors
the only place where people can smoke we are likely to exacerbate this problem.
Conclusions:
Should the garages and taxi tunnel be designated as no smoking areas the only area where people can smoke is outside the
building. Additional ashtray receptacles will be provided.
Contact Name:
Sheila Batt, Manager, Custodial Services and City Hall, 392-6855, fax 392-1251, email sbatt@city.toronto.on.