Smoke & Vape Free Spaces

In addition, smoking (tobacco or cannabis) and using an electronic cigarette (containing any substance) is illegal in or on the following outdoor areas:

• bar and restaurant patios, whether they are covered or not, and within 9 metres of these patios
• hospital and psychiatric facility grounds
• school grounds and within 20 metres of school grounds
• reserved seating area at sports stadiums
• children’s playgrounds and play areas and within 20 metres of these areas; exclusions include those in residential areas such as your back yard
• publicly-owned (provincial, city, post-secondary institutions) outdoor sporting areas, spectator areas, and public areas within 20 metres of the edge of sporting areas or spectator areas
• community recreational facilities and within 20 metres of the grounds (if they are owned/operated by the Province, city, not-for-profit corporation or registered charity)

The following laws prohibit smoking of tobacco and cannabis, as well as use of electronic cigarettes (containing any substance) in public places, workplaces and vehicles.

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act and Regulations 268-18 and 439-18 prohibits smoking of tobacco and cannabis, and use of electronic cigarettes (containing any substance) in/on/at/within:

• All enclosed public places and workplaces in Ontario including bars and restaurants, places of work and workplace vehicles
• Restaurant and bar patios, and within 9 metres of these patios
• Indoor common areas in condos, apartment buildings and university/college residences
• Non-designated guest rooms in hotels, motels and inns
• Schools, on school grounds, and all public areas within 20m of these grounds
• Children’s playgrounds and public areas within 20m of playgrounds
• Child care centres, in places where home child care is provided, or where an early years program is provided
• 9 metres from the entrance or exit of hospitals (public/private), psychiatric facilities, long-term care homes, independent health facilities
• Outdoor grounds of hospitals (public/private) and psychiatric facilities
• Publicly-owned sports fields, nearby spectator areas and public areas within 20m of these areas
• Vehicles or boats that are being driven or at risk of being put into motion
• Reserved seating areas at outdoor sports and entertainment locations
• Grounds of community recreational facilities, and public areas within 20m of those grounds
• Sheltered outdoor areas with a roof and more than two walls which the public or employees frequent, or are invited to (e.g. a bus shelter)

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act requires no-smoking and no-vaping signs be posted in the locations affected by this law.