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The days of taking a smoke break on the outdoor deck of a B.C. ferry will soon be over. On Jan. 22, 2018, all B.C. Ferries properties, including vessels and terminals, will become smoke-free.

Last September, the B.C. government amended regulations for no-smoking buffer zones around any doorway, intake or open window to any public or workplace from three to six metres. The ferry corporation says that due to physical space limitations, the new rules mean all vessels must become smoke-free.

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The company, which has also launched a comprehensive employee smoking-cessation program, says it’s choosing to introduce a smoke-free environment at its other operations to support the health and wellness of passengers and employees.

“B.C. Ferries made the decision to provide a smoke-free environment for the travelling public and our employees on-board our ships and at our terminals,” Mark Collins, B.C. Ferries president and CEO, said in a news release. “This new policy supports the health and wellness of our customers and employees, as it helps control their exposure to second-hand smoke. We continue to focus on improving our customers’ experience, and providing the safest working environment for our crews.”