Air quality scientists and anti-smoking advocates are renewing calls to ban smoking on all patios in Canada after newly released research showed that patrons lounging near smokers can be exposed to high levels of second-hand smoke, even while sitting outdoors.
The study, which focused on restaurant patios in Montreal, found that second-hand smoke inhaled by patrons and servers is akin to sitting next to a forest fire.
“What we registered were concentrations that would be similar to someone experiencing a forest fire, like the fires Kelowna (B.C.) had a few years ago,” said Ryan Kennedy, an air quality scientist who measures smoke pollution on patios.
While the research found that the large patio umbrellas trap smoke, it also showed that those sitting on open-air patios -- without any umbrella, awning or walls -- are still feeling the effects of second-hand smoke.
“Concentrations of pollution on a smoky patio can be high -- can be very high -- and it’s completely possible to regulate it,” Kennedy said.
Provinces like Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Alberta ban smoking on patios, and other cities such as Ottawa, Saskatoon and Vancouver have adopted the same rules.
In Winnipeg, smoking is still allowed as long as there are no walls or awnings trapping the smoke.
Holly Kolevris, a manager of Saffron’s Restaurant in Winnipeg, said lawmakers should not be getting further involved in an owner’s business affairs.
“They’re too controlling,” she said. “They need to let us operate the way we operate.”
Meanwhile, the Canadian Cancer Society is continuing to push for a nationwide smoking ban on outdoor patios.
“They’ve been very easy to implement, widely popular, and it’s inevitable that we are going to have these across Canada and we very much support that,” said Rob Cunningham, a senior policy analyst for the CCS.
With a report from CTV’s Jill Macyshon
