Smoke 'em if you got 'em because soon, smokers might have to butt out on all city property.

At a special municipal services committee meeting on Monday, Coun. Julian Morse started a discussion around expanding the radius prohibiting smoking outside city sports facilities, after the issue was brought to his attention by facility users.

Discussion then turned to whether people should be lighting up on city property at all. That could potentially include all city property, including parks.

Senior administrative officer Sheila Bassi-Kellett expressed support for the way the conversation was going.

SA国际影视传媒�Whether or not it's expanding the bylaw to expand the space away from doors or dare I put my own personal view on things, ban all smoking on all city property - oh did I say that?SA国际影视传媒� she quipped.

Currently, the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission mandates smoking be kept three metres away from all designated doors. Many city facilities have placed cigarette butt receptacles even further away - the YK community arena and the Fieldhouse have butt receptacles more than seven metres from the entrance, while the Curling Club set up receptacles nearly 5.5 metres from the door. The Multiplex tops the list, with receptacles placed almost 14 metres away.

Since 2004, smoking has been banned in the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 indoor public spaces and workplaces.

Outdoors, municipalities have taken steps over the years to snuff out smoke. Kingston, Ont. and Edmonton banned smoking on outdoor patios in 2003, with Saskatoon following in 2004. Municipalities across the country have more recently begun banning smoking in outdoor children's playgrounds, parks, beaches and other municipal property.

Councillors quickly jumped on the bandwagon, with Niels Konge, Shauna Morgan and Linda Bussey all chiming in with support.  

SA国际影视传媒�I think banning smoking in city facilities in the long run would be something that we should look at,SA国际影视传媒� said Bussey.

Konge wants to start with pushing smokers further away from the entrances of sports facilities, and go from there.

SA国际影视传媒�I think that  might be a good middle road to take. But I certainly would support banning smoking on all city property as well,SA国际影视传媒� said Konge.

He added that thanks to concrete planters in front of the Multiplex that allow smokers to linger, the facility is SA国际影视传媒減robably where we have the biggest problem.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒�More times than not going into that facility you've kind of got to hold your breath about 30 feet out until you get right into the building,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淯nless we start policing it, I don't think it's going to change.SA国际影视传媒�

For Morgan, enforcement was the sticking point.

SA国际影视传媒�I would definitely support expanding the radius,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淎nd I would potentially support banning smoking on city property. I think the crux of the issue though is what would be our plan to enforce it.SA国际影视传媒� Morgan expressed concern about possible confrontations between city staff and smokers, for example.

She said she wants a SA国际影视传媒渟olid planSA国际影视传媒� about enforcement moving forward.

Even moving the receptacles to create a larger radius around doors, Bassi-Kellet said, could create trash issues.

SA国际影视传媒�If it's too far away then people won't bother, they'll just step out the door, have their smoke and then drop it on the ground,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Morse suggested a phased-in approach, referencing how Stanton Territorial Hospital first pushed smokers further away from the facility before banning the butt entirely.

SA国际影视传媒�I would advocate kind of a middle road here that we consider expanding the radius,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 think that does make sense, I think we can do it in a practical way.SA国际影视传媒�

He made a motion directing city administration to investigate what other municipalities across the country, as well as institutions such as the hospital and the North Slave Correctional Complex, did to ban smoking on their properties. Bassi-Kellett said administration will present a range of options for consideration.

SA国际影视传媒�I really appreciate Councillor Morse's concern about not making this too big a deal, but this is a great opportunity to take a stand,SA国际影视传媒� she said.