Come Wednesday, smoking and vaping in most public places will be banned in the Alberta mountain town of Banff.
The bylaw, which comes into effect in February 1, prohibits tobacco smoking and vaping in its municipal parks and green spaces, on trails and pathways and at outdoor markets and events.
The bylaw also covers bus stops and public sidewalks and in proximity to children.
That means smoking or vaping tobacco in the town, which is located in Banff National Park, would be limited to parking lots, alleys and on private property.
Banff mayor Corrie DiManno said the bylaw aims to make the sidewalks and trails in Banff enjoyable to everyone.
“Introducing smoke-free public places in Banff, for me, is really about setting the tone that we value our clean mountain air in our community, we want to promote healthy lifestyles and we want to be modelling the behaviour we’d like to see in our children and youth,” she said.
DiManno said the town will focus on education before it starts to enforce the bylaw, creating visual guides for hotels and businesses to educate residents and guests.
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“We always start with communication and promotions of any changes to our bylaws first. We like to take an education-first approach before we go to any type of enforcement,” she said.
There is an exemption for the ceremonial use of tobacco for traditional Indigenous practices.
The bylaw carries fines between $250 and $500 for violations.
Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking & Health, commended Banff for bringing in the smoke-free bylaw.
“It’s great news for Banff and the four million visitors that visit the townsite each year,” he said in an interview.
“We’re hoping that this will spark Parks Canada into action.”
Hagen said the organization, which works to reduce and prevent tobacco use in Alberta and beyond, would like to see tobacco use banned in all parks — including national parks across the country.
“Public health is certainly the No. 1 reason,” he said. “Social modelling has a very profound impact on young people, on children and youth and, in fact, the more smoking cues that children and youth receive, the more likely they are to become smokers themselves.
“These bylaws are important because they reinforce a non-smoking norm.”
Other reasons, he said, include reducing litter and preventing forest fires.
“It’s time for the federal government to step up,” Hagen said.
Parks Canada said in a statement that the safety and well-being of its visitors is a priority, but there are no plans to impose a ban on smoking or vaping tobacco in the national parks at this time.
“It is the responsibility of visitors to educate themselves of any municipal or provincial smoking and vaping regulations regarding distances from buildings, playgrounds, and other facilities,” the federal agency said late Wednesday.
Hagen said there are a couple dozen municipalities across Canada that have banned smoking in parks, including Okotoks, Strathmore and St. Albert in Alberta. A handful of municipalities also ban smoking on sidewalks and other public places, he said.
–With files from Stephanie Swensrude, 630 CHED
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