‘They’re everywhere’: thousands of littered cigarette butts near Winnipeg patios

A new patio smoking ban bylaw is great news for many diners, but less than a month into the new rule, it has already lead to an abundance of trash.

Littered cigarette butts are almost impossible for many Winnipeggers to miss outside of local bars and restaurants after the ban went into effect April 1.

READ MORE: Smoking on patios now banned in Winnipeg

The new rules leave patrons without ashtrays on tables, which means they congregate near bar doors and smoke. With a limited amount of cigarette butt disposal towers in the city, many filters are being left in the dirt.

King’s Head Pub owner Chris Graves said Thursday he’s been noticing the dirty areas.

“We’re going to be filthy, Graves said. “Out in front, in the streets, they’ll be cigarettes everywhere.

“There’s going to be cigarette butts all over the streets, there’s going to be cigarette butts all on the sidewalks, there’s going to be cigarette butts in the garage.”

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The issue was addressed near Graves’ pub Thursday morning by an Exchange District Biz volunteer cleanup, but just hours later, hundreds of the filters were already visible nearby.

READ MORE: Winnipeg city-wide spring cleanup to begin Sunday night

It’s a problem that doesn’t look like it’s going to go away soon, and one Winnipegger said only the city is to blame.