About The Project

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Should the Smoking and Vaping Bylaw be further strengthened?

Council has asked Administration to engage Calgarians on whether the Smoking and Vaping Bylaw should be stronger, with consideration to prohibiting:

  • Waterpipe (hookah/shisha) smoking in workplaces, public premises and specified outdoor places
  • Smoking and vaping in outdoor public parks and at outdoor public events
  • Smoking and vaping in hotel and motel rooms

Why is Council asking for feedback about smoking and vaping?

Around the world, there is a growing trend toward smoke-free places.

Over the last few decades, Canada’s federal, provincial and municipal rules around smoking have changed a lot. For example:

  • In 2000 it became federal law that cigarette packages had to carry full colour photograph-based health warnings on cigarettes
  • In 2007, cigarette smoking in public places and work sites was banned in Alberta
  • Starting in November this year – in addition to visual health warnings – all cigarettes sold in Canada must be in plain, dark brown packages with no colours or logos

What is waterpipe smoking?
A waterpipe – also called a hookah – is a device used to smoke shisha. Shisha is an herbal mixture or tobacco blend that is usually mixed with fruit, molasses or other flavourings and placed into the head of the waterpipe. Hot charcoal heats the shisha and the resulting smoke is inhaled after passing through the waterpipe’s vase of water and a hose.

Why is Council asking for feedback about prohibiting waterpipe smoking in public places?

While cigarette and tobacco smoking is generally prohibited indoors in Calgary, waterpipe smoking of non-tobacco products is not.

In the last decade, a great deal of research has shown that shisha smoking is a serious health risk that may be more harmful than smoking cigarettes. For this reason, the World Health Organization has said that waterpipe smoking should not be allowed in public places. (Public places means: all or any part of a building, structure or other enclosed area to which members of the public have access as of right or by express or implied invitation. Cafes, restaurants, bars or shopping malls are all examples of public places or premises.)

As awareness of shisha’s health risks grows, governments are increasingly taking steps to regulate it. In the interest of public health, many municipal governments have prohibited waterpipe smoking in public places, including Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa; a ban is pending in Edmonton. It has also been prohibited in countries where shisha use is common, including Turkey, Singapore, Jordan, Rwanda, and parts of Saudi Arabia.

Feedback from Calgarians and all stakeholders will be fully considered and will be an important factor in Administration’s recommendations to Council for consideration in the fourth quarter of 2019.


Definitions

DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this survey, please keep these definitions of smoking and vaping in mind as you answer the survey questions

Smoking means: (i) inhaling or exhaling the smoke produced by burning tobacco or cannabis; or (ii) holding or otherwise having control of any device or thing containing lit tobacco or cannabis.

Vaping means: (i) inhaling or exhaling the vapour, emissions or aerosol produced by an electronic smoking device or similar device containing tobacco, cannabis or any other substance, or (ii) holding or otherwise having control of an electronic smoking device that is producing vapour, emissions or aerosol from tobacco, cannabis or any other substance.

A Waterpipe is a smoking device that consists of a bowl mounted on a vessel of water which is provided with a long tube and arranged so that smoke is drawn through the water where it is cooled and travels up the tube to the mouth. Typically, the smoking material is placed in a bowl on top of the waterpipe and burned by charcoal which rests on top of smoking material, usually separated by aluminum foil.

Public Premises means: all or any part of a building, structure or other enclosed area to which members of the public have access as of right or by express or implied invitation. Cafes, restaurants, bars or shopping malls are all examples of public places or premises.


Provide Your Input

PROVIDE YOUR INPUT

Are you familiar with The City of Calgary’s Smoking Bylaw that addresses smoking and vaping of tobacco in Calgary?

Currently, both the province and The City of Calgary have rules in place regarding smoking of tobacco in public places.

Government of Alberta Regulations (LINK)

The Government of Alberta’s Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act is the most restrictive piece of legislation with regards to smoking and is primarily used when investigating a smoking complaint. As per the provincial laws, smoking is prohibited:

  • In a public place;
  • In a workplace;
  • In a vehicle in which a minor is present;
  • In a public vehicle; or
  • Within a prescribed distance of 5 metres from a doorway, window or intake of a public place or workplace.

Shisha smoking is not currently regulated under the Smoking and Vaping Bylaw nor Alberta’s Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act as it is not classified as a ‘tobacco’ product. The Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act was passed in 2006 and amended via Bill 33 in 2013. Bill 33 would prohibit indoor smoking of shisha in the same way that indoor tobacco smoking is prohibited; however, it has not been fully proclaimed into force at this time.

The City of Calgary has additional restrictions on smoking and vaping that are addressed in the Smoking Bylaw.

City of Calgary Regulations (LINK)

The City of Calgary Smoking and Vaping Bylaw states that a person must not smoke or vape:

  • In a public premise, a workplace or a public vehicle;
  • In, on or within 5 metres of the following to which the public has access as of right or by express or implied invitation:
    • outdoor pool
    • outdoor skating rink
    • playground
    • skate park
    • sports field
    • transit property
  • Within 5 metres of an entrance or exit to a public premise; or
  • In Olympic Plaza.


As long as it is not prohibited for any other reason by way of provincial or municipal legislation, generally speaking, public smoking and vaping of tobacco is permitted on pathways, in public parks, and on public sidewalks in Calgary.

Based on your understanding of the Provincial and Municipal regulations, select the answer that best reflects your opinion about The City of Calgary's Smoking and Vaping Bylaw:
You have 150 characters left.

The following types of spaces are considered "public spaces" in the Smoking Bylaw. Click here to see The City of Calgary regulations. Most of these are already part of the current bylaw in Calgary. For each of these types of spaces, please indicate whether you think smoking/vaping and waterpipe use should be allowed or should not be allowed. As a reminder, smoking, vaping and waterpipe definitions can be found above.

SMOKING

For each of these types of spaces, please indicate whether you think smoking should be allowed or should not be allowed.
Smoking - Allowed
Smoking - Not Allowed
In designated hotel and motel rooms
Near a bus stop, bus shelter or C-train station
In parks with athletic facilities (e.g. skate parks, sports field, outdoor skating rink, racquet courts, outdoor track)
In parks with play grounds (e.g. play structure, spray park / water play park)
Near outdoor pool
On public park trails and pathways (e.g. Bow River Pathway System)
At outdoor public events (e.g. market, festival, concert)
Sidewalks in all public areas
Near a door, window or air intake of any building
In workplaces or restaurants (e.g. Shisha Lounges, Vape Shops)

VAPING

For each of these types of spaces, please indicate whether you think vaping should be allowed or should not be allowed.
Vaping - Allowed
Vaping - Not Allowed
In designated hotel and motel rooms
Near a bus stop, bus shelter or C-train station
In parks with athletic facilities (e.g. skate parks, sports field, outdoor skating rink, racquet courts, outdoor track)
In parks with play grounds (e.g. play structure, spray park / water play park)
Near outdoor pool
On public park trails and pathways (e.g. Bow River Pathway System)
At outdoor public events (e.g. market, festival, concert)
Sidewalks in all public areas
Near a door, window or air intake of any building
In workplaces or restaurants (e.g. Shisha Lounges, Vape Shops)

WATERPIPE

For each of these types of spaces, please indicate whether you think waterpipe use should be allowed or should not be allowed.
Waterpipe - Allowed
Waterpipe - Not Allowed
In designated hotel and motel rooms
Near a bus stop, bus shelter or C-train station
In parks with athletic facilities (e.g. skate parks, sports field, outdoor skating rink, racquet courts, outdoor track)
In parks with play grounds (e.g. play structure, spray park / water play park)
Near outdoor pool
On public park trails and pathways (e.g. Bow River Pathway System)
At outdoor public events (e.g. market, festival, concert)
Sidewalks in all public areas
Near a door, window or air intake of any building
In workplaces or restaurants (e.g. Shisha Lounges, Vape Shops)
Currently shisha (herbal or herbal/tobacco blend product) and waterpipes (or hookahs) are not treated the same as smoking or vaping, and are allowed in restaurants or lounges. Should they be regulated the same way as smoking and vaping?
You have 150 characters left.
Should public events such as markets, festivals and concerts be allowed to have designated smoking areas where smoking, vaping or waterpipe use are allowed?
How important is it to you that The City has the resources to enforce restrictions on smoking, vaping or waterpipe use in public? This could mean hiring additional enforcement officers or adjusting enforcement priorities
Currently smoking and vaping are treated the same in Calgary’s Smoking Bylaw – should waterpipe use also be:
You have 150 characters left.
How important is it to you that The City focuses resources on reducing cigarette litter in public places?
How much would you be comfortable with The City spending (per year) to address cigarette litter in public places?

Demographic Questions

To help us better understand and analyze the feedback we receive, please answer the following questions. Note that your answers will not be in anyway linked to you or your household:

Which of the following apply to you (please select all that apply):
With which gender do you identify:
Please select your age range:
Do you currently…
You have 3 characters left.
How did you hear about this survey?

The survey form is now closed. Thanks for your contributions.

NEXT STEPS

Administration will report back to Council through the Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services with recommendations and potential bylaw amendments in Q4, 2019. Feedback from all impacted stakeholders and the public will be fully considered and will be an important factor in Administration’s recommendations to Council.