Those who enjoy vaping or smoking cannabis in Stratford’s Market Square and other public spaces may soon find themselves without a place to light up.

Stratford’s community services committee approved a list of amendments to the city’s smoking in public places bylaw Monday that could, if passed by council, see the inclusion of cannabis and vaping. These amendments would also expand the scope of the bylaw to ban smoking within 20 metres of city recreational facilities and sporting arenas, as well as in Market Square and all city parks.

“There’s concern that new emerging products such as vapes, which are sometimes called electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, will … cause addiction in a whole new generation of users,” said Janet Jackson, a public health manager at the Perth District health unit.

Jackson said the health unit is supportive of the amendments, which also includes a ban on smoking in Stratford-Perth public housing, citing the negative health effects on both the user and on others through second-hand smoke, the potential for addiction, and the environmental impact of discarded cigarette butts.

Should the bylaw amendments pass, Jackson said the health unit would be eager to work with the city to develop a public education campaign around the changes and help enforce the new rules.

But some, like paralegal Kyle McGraw, who also spoke on the amendments at Monday’s meeting, suggested the recommended changes go beyond what is required by the province’s Smoke Free Ontario Act and infringes on the rights of smokers.

“Any other overreaching or overarching protections that council is thinking about implementing I think are … prohibitive to an inclusive space that we’ve decided Market Square should be,” McGraw said. “… We’ve heard that smoking is an addiction, and addiction could be classified and considered a disability. I would suggest that individuals who smoke and individuals who suffer from addiction issues are oftentimes marginalized in our society. I would suggest that creating a barrier for marginalized individuals is not being as inclusive as the city could be.”

McGraw also questioned the enforceability of banning smoking in Stratford-Perth public housing, but appeared to back down from that argument once he learned tenants with rental agreements that predate last August’s smoke-free policy would be exempt as long as they stay in their current units.

Should the new bylaw amendments come into effect, the city would need to order new signage for Market Square and each of the city’s parks at roughly $50 apiece, as well as temporary signage for special events at $265 each. City staff told council they would be able to use approximately $3,500 of the $83,395 Stratford received through the Ontario Cannabis Legalization Implementation Fund to pay for the signage.

Under the new amendments, fines for smoking in designated public spaces will be set at $115. The current maximum fine for smoking in a prohibited area is $5,000.

gsimmons@postmedia.com