The Capital Regional District is close to amending its Clean Air Bylaw to include vaping and cannabis smoke. This, after the CRD's Protective Services Committee voted to include the smoking of ANY materials in places where tobacco smoke is already not allowed.
The bylaw must still be passed by the CRD Board. But Chair Steve Price says residents have a right to clean air and the amendment is a logical extension of what's been done by health and elected officials of the past:
" And I've just been thinking back before we had these progressive clean air bylaws where, you know, you'd be on BC Ferries and there's just be a giant cloud. You couldn't even see the front of the ship inside. I'm pretty sure that's where they coined the term "hot boxing" back in the day. You know, restaurants where you had smoking and no smoking in the same room. You know that made perfect sense! You know you'd be sitting there with your family beside 6 chain smokers."
" So as community leaders of the day today, you know, we need to follow the good work that the leaders before us established with current clean air bylaws. So I mean to me this is perfectly logical. It's makes perfect sense. And it is our responsibility as community leaders to make sure we look after our residents."
The current bylaw bans smoking in all parks, playgrounds, playing fields, public squares and bus stops -- and extends the smoke-free buffer zone outside doorways, windows and air intakes from three metres to seven metres.