You may soon have to butt out before you step on the grounds of some hospitals or hotels in Ottawa.
Officials from Ottawa Public Health (OPH) said it has been working with hospitals in the capital to promote a 100 per cent smoke-free environment.
It is not good news for Dylon Brooner.
“It’s coming to a point where it’s almost impossible to smoke,” he said.
The City of Ottawa banned smoking on city property, including on outdoor patios, parks and beaches this spring.
In a report for Monday’s Board of Health meeting, OPH said four hospitals, the Ottawa Hospital, the Queensway Carleton Hospital, the Montfort Hospital and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, have expressed interest in opting into the smoke-free bylaw.
Don MacGillivray said he has been smoking since he was 10 years old and remembers a time when you could light up anywhere, even in a hospital room.
The report also said 14 festivals located on non-city property have voluntarily chosen to go smoke-free, including the Greek Festival.
“We're happy to see a ripple effect of the bylaw in a positive way, that organizations that aren't part of the smoke free bylaw are deciding on their own to move forward and go smoke free,” said Anne Meloche of OPH.
The report also states that 39 out of 57 local hotels, motels and Bed and Breakfasts in Ottawa are voluntarily 100 per cent smoke-free. Three other hotels will be implementing smoke-free policies by the end of the year.
MacGillivray said restrictions may make breaking the addiction a bit easier.
With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Natalie Duddridge
