Endorsement of action for smoke-free multi-unit housing (Motion #55-15)

Moved by Thain, Bradley. Approved by the Sudbury & District Board of Health, November 19, 2015.

WHEREAS smoking in multi-unit housing results in significant exposure to the health-harming effects of tobacco smoke; and

WHEREAS area municipalities and service boards that are landlords of multi-unit housing can adopt no-smoking policies that set an example and protect health, such as that adopted by the Manitoulin Sudbury District Services Board to support smoke-free social housing effective January 1, 2015;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Sudbury & District Board of Health support the Northwestern Health Unit motion (88-2015) on smoke-free multi-unit housing, the efforts of the Smoke-Free Housing Ontario Coalition and others, in the following actions and policies to reduce the exposure of second-hand smoke in multi-unit housing:

  1. Encourage all landlords and property owners of multi-unit housing to voluntarily adopt no-smoking policies in their rental units or properties;
  2. Advocate that all future private sector rental properties and buildings developed in Ontario should be smoke-free from the onset;
  3. Encourage public/social housing providers to voluntarily adopt no-smoking policies in their units and/or properties;
  4. Advocate that all future public/social housing developments in Ontario should be smoke-free from the onset;
  5. Encourage the Ontario Ministry of Housing to develop government policy and programs to facilitate the provision of smoke-free housing.

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT a copy of this motion be submitted to the Smoke-Free Housing Ontario Coalition, the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, local members of Provincial Parliament (MPP), the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa), all Ontario Boards of Health, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities and SDHU municipalities for their information and support.


This item was last modified on November 26, 2015