It’s a first in B.C.: Port Coquitlam smokers will no longer be able to light up in many outdoor areas across the city.
City council passed a bylaw on Wednesday enforcing a ban on smoking – including cannabis and vaping – in Port Coquitlam parks, trails and playgrounds.
“People should not be exposed to second-hand smoke, whether it’s marijuana or tobacco, while they’re out enjoying the public amenities that they’ve paid for,” said Councillor Brad West, who put forward the motion.
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He said bylaw enforcement officers will be patrolling parks to make sure people are abiding by the new rules. Signage will also be posted throughout the city’s trails, playground and parks.
West said the idea came after he and his wife took their one-year-old son to Lions Park in Port Coquitlam, where West was astonished to see so many people smoking near his kid.
“I was floored at the number of times we would be there and have him playing around and there would be someone there who would light up a cigarette.”
The bylaw also expands the provincial regulations on smoking near business entrances, air vents and windows from six metres to 7.5 metres.
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Smokers must also light up a minimum of 7.5 metres away from transit shelters and stops, an increase from the province’s regulation of three metres.
Earlier this year BC Ferries banned all smoking and vaping on all of its vessels and terminals.