Town fuming over bylaw to completely ban smoking
Last Updated: Friday, December 7, 2007 | 9:31 PM AT
CBC News
Related
Internal Links
The town of Bridgewater, N.S., is considering a bylaw that would ban smoking on all town property — streets and sidewalks included.
Opponents of the bylaw plan to take a stand on Saturday by smoking on a provincially-owned bridge that would be the town's last haven if the proposed bylaw gets approved.
In such a scenario, anyone driving on the 66 kilometres of streets in town or walking on the 34 kilometres of sidewalk faces a fine for being caught lighting up. The same rules would apply to public buildings and public parks.
Bridgewater Mayor Carrol Publicover said the proposed ban started with complaints about students smoking around school property.
Town councillor Kevin Marlin decided to draft an anti-smoking bylaw for school property, then went even further to propose banning smoking in all public places in the town, except for two spots — the two bridges that span the LaHave River.
That's because the town landmarks are owned by the Province of Nova Scotia.
"This issue [is] really all about the health and well-being of our community," Marlin said.
Although smokers in Bridgewater acknowledged concerns about second-hand smoke, some said an all-out ban is simply not realistic and would be hard to enforce. The mayor agreed.
"I understand it would be the first of its kind in Canada to be that widespread; that sweeping," Publicover said.
"It's going too far to work on an issue that we're all concerned about and that's secondhand smoke and public safety. We're trying to solve a problem that's not really there."
Councillors are expected to vote on the proposed bylaw in a few weeks.
Protesters plan to gather on Saturday at noon at the Veterans' Memorial Bridge.
Share Tools
Latest Nova Scotia News Headlines
- Irving lays off 44 at Halifax shipyard
- Dozens of Irving Shipyard workers were laid off Friday after several projects were completed. more »
- Dartmouth students prepare for robot competition
- Students at Auburn High near Dartmouth, N.S., are making final adjustments to their underwater robot ahead of an international competition in Florida. more »
- Halifax police warn of sex offender's release
- Halifax police issued a warning Friday about a man released from prison for offences against children. more »
- Sunken boat refloated in Sydney Harbour
- A half-sunken boat abandoned in Sydney Harbour several years ago was refloated Friday in the first step toward removing the eyesore. more »
Top News Headlines
- Employment Insurance review boards to be scrapped
- The federal government is scrapping two review boards used by people appealing decisions made about their employment insurance. more »
- Teens share bullying tales in confession booth
- Raw stories about bullying emerged when a video booth was set up inside a Quebec high school. more »
- Serial carjacker gets life term for fatal crash
- An Ontario judge was moved to tears while delivering a life prison sentence to a serial carjacker who killed a woman and injured five others after driving a stolen van into her car during a 2010 police chase. more »
- Canada ending 'Buffalo shuffle' for visas, closing consulate
- The federal government is shutting the Canadian consulate in Buffalo less than two years after costly renovations, while dropping a requirement for visas to be renewed outside the country, CBC News has learned. more »
- Police find missing East Dover woman
- 902 numbers running out in N.S., P.E.I.
- Halifax police warn of sex offender's release
- New EI rules worry seasonal workers in N.S.
- N.S. man acquitted in boy's 2010 death
- Shots fired on Quinpool Road in Halifax
- RCMP to close labs in Halifax, Winnipeg, Regina
- Canadian Hurricane Centre predicts 9 to 15 storms in 2012
- Paul Martin, Scotty Bowman among Order of Canada recipients

