Smoking and vaping banned

From yesterday, restaurant and bar patrons in Quebec have been barred from smoking tobacco or vaping on outdoor patios, according to a story by Sabrina Marandola for CBC News.

The new rules, part of Bill 44, which was passed unanimously in the National Assembly in November, mean that smoking and vaping are now banned on patios, in cars when a person under the age of 16 is present, in the common areas of residential buildings of two to five housing units, near playgrounds, campgrounds and sports fields, and near day care centers, preschools, elementary schools and high schools.

Quebec’s Health Ministry has said that its inspectors can hand out fines for violations, provincial police officers can issue tickets, and municipalities can choose to have their own police officers issue tickets.

In the event of somebody being caught smoking or vaping on a bar or restaurant patio, both the smoker and the business owner would be fined. An individual first-time offender could expect to have to pay $250-$750 while a repeat offender would be looking at $500-$1,500.

First-time business offenders would have to pay $500-$12,500 while repeat business offenders would be looking at $1,000-$25,000.