Toronto’s ban on hookah lounges is being challenged in court by four Scarborough lounge owners.

Their lawyer, Ryan Zigler, said he will be in court June 24 arguing that Toronto city council had no right last fall to ban, on public health grounds, use of water pipes in city-licensed establishments.

“The City of Toronto only has powers given to it by the (provincial) City of Toronto Act,” Zigler said in an interview Tuesday.

“Our argument is that the act does not give the city the power to pass a bylaw that prohibits my clients from operating a lawful business anywhere in the city of Toronto. We say the bylaw puts them out of business.”

The ban passed by council took effect April 1. City staff say that until June 30 they are focusing on warning businesses that offer the water pipes.

“Beginning July 1, 2016, enforcement could include issuing tickets and summonses and possibly initiating licensing tribunal hearings,” a licensing spokeswoman said in an email.

Ashraf Hasouna, owner of Alexandria Café in Scarborough, who is supportive of the legal challenge but not officially part of it, said his customers continue to smoke hookah.

“We got a letter from the city saying there won’t be any ticket until July 1,” Hasouna said.

“We still offer hookah to people and there is no ticket whatsoever. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.”

Council voted 34-3 to stop hookah smoking — tobacco or otherwise — at city-licensed businesses, after recommendations from the city’s medical officer of health outlined significant risks to the public, including sending the wrong message to youth.

Medical officer David McKeown told council that hookah smoking has been scientifically linked to chronic health problems, sets back efforts to discourage young people from taking up smoking, and puts bystanders, including employees, at risk from poor air quality.

Council rejected a bid by Councillor Jim Karygiannis, an occasional hookah smoker, to establish a separate licence for a “hookah lounge” allowed to use only non-tobacco products and serve only “coffee, tea and juices.”

With files from Jennifer Pagliaro