Description of Service/Summary
Under the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 709-Smoking. In Toronto, it is against the law to smoke within 9 metres of an entrance or exit of any building that is used by the public.
Building entrances and exits include
- Municipal buildings (such as City Hall, civic centres, recreation and community centres, libraries, arenas and administrative offices)
- Shopping malls, stores
- Offices and institutional buildings
- Multi-residential buildings (condos, apartments and other similar residential buildings) that can be accessed by the public. For example, the smoking ban would apply if there is an entrance at street level that allows the public to enter the building, such as a lobby or foyer with a buzzer, before another set of locked doors.
Building owners/operators are required to
- Post no-smoking signs, as described in the bylaw, at building entrances and exits
- Move ashtrays away from smoke-free areas
- Ensure no one is smoking within nine metres of building entrances or exits
Signs
No smoking signs can be obtained from Toronto Public Health through a variety of ways. Signs are available for download on the City of Toronto website (under building entrances/exits), which can be printed out and posted where necessary. Additionally, signs can also be mailed out by calling Toronto Health Connection.
Enforcement
Enforcement Officers will be responding to complaints. Enforcement Officers will be enforcing the bylaw in addition to the existing Smoke-Free Ontario Act.
For more information on the bylaw, to report a bylaw infraction and for resources to quit smoking, contact Toronto Health Connection or visit www.toronto.ca/health.
