Dartmouth councillor wants tobacco excluded from smoking ban

Sam Austin initially voted in favour of an all-out smoking ban on municipal land but now the Councillor for Dartmouth Centre says he has changed his mind.

“The big change for me personally was the realization that these designated smoking areas were going to make up a much bigger part of our approach than I had ever imagined,” Austin said.

Regional council voted on July 16 by a 13-3 margin in favour of amendments to the municipality’s nuisance bylaw that would significantly restrict smoking in public places.

READ MORE: Halifax’s new smoking and cannabis bylaws to be in place by Oct. 1

Public backlash quickly ensued but city communication personnel, along with several councillors, attempted to assure the general public that the municipality wasn’t intending to “outlaw smoking.” The amendments just mean that smoking of any kind, tobacco, cannabis and vaping, would only be allowed in designated smoking areas.

Now that a few weeks have passed since the passing vote, Austin feels that approach “doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

“Why impose a smoking ban and then turn around and designate all sorts of spaces on those very same sidewalks where you’re allowed to smoke? It seems like a very bureaucratic response that’s not rooted in a lot of practicality,” Austin said.

The estimated annual cost of enforcing an all-out smoking ban and restrictions around cannabis cultivation is estimated at around $970,000 a year and could have a direct impact on the 2018/19 operating budget, according to the city staff report.

Costs include the need for an additional eight by-law compliance officers and modifications to existing signage.

READ MORE: Halifax business community reacts to new law restricting smoking

The annual expense is anticipated to be partially offset by the collection of fine revenue.

View image in full screen

Protesters in Halifax are staunchly against the fines.

“We’re buying cigarettes, tobacco for extortionist prices. We’re not blowing it into anybody’s face, and we’re doing it outside, far away from people, leave us alone. Don’t try and fine us $2,000. Nobody’s going to pay these fines,” Senji Boubnov said.

Boubnov, along with several other citizens, gathered outside of City Hall to express their concerns regarding the upcoming smoking ban.

“If you rent a place, most landlords will not allow you to smoke, even on the balcony and now you can’t smoke outside. There shouldn’t be designated smoking areas. It should be a free country,” Boubnov said.