New smoke and vape-free regulations
Starting October 17, 2018, amendments to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA) prohibits the use of vapour products (vaping or electronic cigarettes) or holding lighted cannabis in the same places that tobacco smoking is banned, including public places, workplaces and on outdoor bar and restaurant patios. The new provincial regulations also prohibits smoking and vaping within 9 metres from an outdoor bar or restaurant patio and within 20 metres from the perimeter of a school or a community recreation facility.
No-smoking and vaping laws and regulations protect children and non-smokers from the hazards of exposure from second-hand smoke and the potential health impacts of vaping. Tobacco enforcement officers will use a progressive enforcement approach including education, warning and can issue provincial offence notice tickets, which carry fines of $305.
Note that existing City of Ottawa smoke-free regulations remain in effect including no smoking, vaping or water-pipe (hookah) use on all municipal properties such as parks, playgrounds, beaches, sports fields and ByWard and Parkdale Market stands.
For more information on the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s website at ontario.ca/smokefree. For help to quit smoking, visit myquit.ca or call 1-877-376-1701.
| Second-Hand Smoke Facts |
There is NO Safe Level of Second-Hand Smoke.
Second-hand smoke affects the health of everyone, especially children and the elderly. Second-hand smoke can worsen the health of those with asthma, allergies and other respiratory conditions and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Ready to Reduce Your Tobacco Use or Quit Altogether?
Hospitals provide a supportive smoke-free environment while offering support to patients and staff who want to quit smoking.
Community supports are available at myquit.ca or call 1-877-376-1701
Second-Hand Smoke Facts
Second-hand smoke (SHS) is the smoke exhaled by a smoker as well as the smoke from the burning tobacco. It contains more than 4,000 dangerous chemicals, 70 of which cause cancer.
There is no safe level of exposure, even outdoors. Exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) can be as dangerous on restaurant patios, the beach or park as it is indoors. Cigarette butts can also contaminate sandboxes and beaches.
Studies show that smoke-free spaces can dramatically reduce heart attack rates and respiratory illnesses. Smoke-free spaces can:
- protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of SHS
- help smokers to quit
- encourage former smokers to remain smoke-free
- protect children from starting to smoke by providing good role models
- reduce litter
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| Are you Exposed to Your Neighbour's Second-Hand Smoke? |
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The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking in common areas of condominiums, apartment buildings and college and university residences. Examples of common areas include elevators, stairwells, hallways, parking garages, laundry facilities, lobbies, exercise areas and party or entertainment rooms.
Second-hand smoke can easily transfer between units and can expose you to harmful second-hand smoke in your home. To learn how you can protect yourself from second-hand smoke, visit Smoke Free Housing Ontario
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| Promoting Smoke-Free Policies: A Guide for Workplaces |
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Making your business welcoming by keeping it free from second-hand smoke (SHS) shows you care about the health of others and the environment. There is no safe level of SHS-inside or outside. Even a small amount of SHS can affect health. Any employee or customer that passes by someone smoking will be exposed to SHS. Ottawa Public Health has developed a guide and signs to help employers protect their employees and customers from SHS at entrances and on outdoor property.
To obtain your free guide and signage, please send an email to tobacco@ottawa.ca.
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| Smoke-Free Regulations |
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No smoking and vaping laws and regulations in the City of Ottawa are designed to protect children and non-smokers from the hazards of exposure to second-hand smoke and potential health impact to exposure to vapour.
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No Smoking
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No Vaping
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City of Ottawa parks and playgrounds
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
*Includes water pipes with tobacco or herbal
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
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City of Ottawa sports fields and their seating area
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
*Includes water pipes with tobacco or herbal
Smoking is also prohibited 20 m from sports fields under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
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City of Ottawa beaches
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
*Includes water pipes with tobacco or herbal
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
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Municipal property
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
*Includes water pipes with tobacco or herbal
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City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
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Parkdale and ByWard Markets
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City of Ottawa ByWard Market By-law 2008-449
City of Ottawa Parkdale Market By-law 2008-448
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Construction sites
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Smoke-Free Ontario Act
(Only inside the enclosed spaces)
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* individual sites may have additional restrictions
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Hospital property
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*Smoke-Free Ontario Act
* Smoking prohibited on all outdoor hospital property except in a designated smoking area. (On January 1, 2018, designated smoking areas will not be allowed).
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* individual hospitals may have additional restrictions
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Patios
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City of Ottawa Smoke-Free Public Place By-law 2001-148
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* individual businesses may have additional restrictions
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Festivals, fairs and events
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*City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
*Smoking is prohibited on City of Ottawa property, including water pipe smoking with tobacco or herbal
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*City of Ottawa e-cigarette policy
City of Ottawa Parks and Facilities By-law 2004-276
*Vaping is prohibited on City of Ottawa property
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Post-secondary campuses
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*Smoke-Free Ontario Act
*Smoking is prohibited inside workplaces and public places. Smoking is prohibited on and within 20 m of sports fields
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* individual schools may have additional restrictions
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Elementary and secondary school property
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Smoke-Free Ontario Act
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* individual schools may have additional restrictions
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OC Transpo property
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City of Ottawa Transit By-law 2007-286
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City of Ottawa e-cigarette policy
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Enclosed workplaces and public spaces
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City of Ottawa Smoke-Free Public Place By-law 2001-148
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* individual businesses may have additional restrictions
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Work vehicles
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Smoke-Free Ontario Act
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* individual businesses may have additional restrictions
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Vehicles with someone less than 16 years old present
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Smoke-Free Ontario Act
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Multi-unit housing
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*Smoke-Free Ontario Act
*smoking is prohibited in common areas of multi-unit housing, including lobbies, hallways, stairwells and elevators.
*individual property owners may have additional restrictions
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*individual property owners may have additional restrictions
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Inside of hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts
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*Smoke-Free Ontario Act
*smoking is prohibited in common areas, including lobbies, hallways, stairwells and elevators.
*individual hotels may have additional restrictions
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*individual hotels may have additional restrictions
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The smoke-free regulations apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Report a smoking violation or by calling 3-1
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| Report a Tobacco Violation |
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Report Smoking in Public or a Workplace
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To report a smoking violation, please select from the following list of locations or situations:
Smoking at a City Facility/Property
Smoking in a Common Area
Smoking at a Hospital or Long Term Care Facility
Smoking at Restaurant, Bar, Patio
Smoking at a School
Smoking Shisha/Hookah
Smoking in the Workplace Violation
Please note that we will do our best to have a by-law officer attend your location, although it may not be possible for one to arrive in time. We are, however, tracking all reported violations of the smoke-free regulations and the information provided will help us to determine problem areas within the City. With this information, by-law officers can conduct focused enforcement efforts based on data collected from public complaints and from staff reports as well.
Please refer to the tobacco page, the Smoke-Free Public Places By-Law (no. 2001-148) or the Smoke-Free Workplaces By-Law (no. 2001-149) for more information.
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Report Tobacco Sales to Minors
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The sale of tobacco products, including in-store placement and advertising, is regulated by the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.
Report tobacco retail sales to minors
Please note that we will do our best to have a by-law officer attend your location, although it may not be possible for one to arrive in time. We are, however, tracking all reported violations of the smoke-free regulations and the information provided will help us to determine problem areas within the City. With this information, by-law officers can conduct focused enforcement efforts based on data collected from public complaints and from staff reports as well.
Please refer to the tobacco page for more information.
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Report Tobacco Retail Signage Violation
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The sale of tobacco products, including in-store placement and advertising, is regulated by the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.
Report tobacco retail signage violation
Please note that we will do our best to have a by-law officer attend your location, although it may not be possible for one to arrive in time. We are, however, tracking all reported violations of the smoke-free regulations and the information provided will help us to determine problem areas within the City. With this information, by-law officers can conduct focused enforcement efforts based on data collected from public complaints and from staff reports as well.
Please refer to the tobacco page for more information.
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Request Tobacco Retailer Signage
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Tobacco retailers can request new or additional signage, such as health warnings or age restrictions.
Request tobacco retailer signage
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