B.C. set to announce tougher smoking laws

Canadian Press Globe and Mail
VANCOUVER — The B.C. government is apparently getting ready to toughen smoking restrictions. Premier Gordon Campbell will use this weekend's B.C. Liberal party convention in Penticton to announce a province-wide ban covering smoking in all public places, Global TV reports. It's not clear how public place will be defined but the ban apparently will cover all places where people congregate. However, the ban would exempt bars and restaurants that have existing separately ventilated smoking rooms. A tougher B.C. smoking ban would echo the latest wave of new smoking restrictions in other provinces, notably Quebec and Ontario. Last June 1, smoking became illegal in Quebec restaurants, bars, private clubs, bingo halls and casinos along with all other facilities open to the public. The Quebec law also forbids smokers from lighting up within nine metres of any doorway leading to a health or social services institution, college, university or child-care facility. In May, the Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibited smoking in all workplaces and enclosed spaces open to the public. The Ontario law bars smoking on patios with roofs, as well.