Municipal Bylaws

Classification of Municipalities

There are currently 446 municipalities in Ontario.

These municipalities are divided into different structural tiers. A "local municipality" may be called a city, a town, a township, a municipality or a village and can also be referred to as a "lower tier" municipality. Local or lower tier municipalities are also part of a higher level of municipal or "upper tier" government such as a county, region or district. A county or regional government is a federation of the local municipalities within its boundaries. An example of an "upper tier" municipality is the Region of Waterloo, which is composed of 7 local municipalities.

A "single tier" municipality is a municipality where there is only one level of municipal government in an area. Examples of a single tier municipality include the amalgamated cities of Toronto, Greater Sudbury, Ottawa and Hamilton.

Summary of Smoke-free Bylaws

Of Ontario’s 446 municipalities, there are 253 municipalities covered by some form of smoke-free workplace and/or public place bylaws. This analysis is divided into 3 groups with accompanying detailed charts:

1. Municipalities with 100% smoke-free workplace AND public place bylaws (includes municipalities that allow for construction of DSRs - a separate chart is included).

2. Municipalities with 100% public place bylaws ONLY.

3. Municipalities with partial smoke-free workplace and/or public place bylaws.

An additional list of municipalities without smoke-free bylaws is also included. (NOTE: municipalities which only regulate municipal buildings or municipally-owned buildings are included in this category)

Municipalities with 100% Smoke-free Workplace AND Public Place Bylaws

• There are currently 180 municipalities that are covered by both 100% smoke-free workplace AND public place bylaws. These municipalities consist of:

• 25 cities (12 which allow for DSRs)
• 9 counties
• 3 regions (all regions allow for DSRs)
• 16 towns (3 allow for DSRs)
• 25 townships
• 4 municipalities
• 1 village
• 44 of the 177 municipalities allow for the construction of designated smoking rooms (DSRs). Upon final implementation, DSRs will be permitted as follows:

  • 17 municipalities allow for DSRs in workplaces (4 municipalities have sunset dates)

  • 27 municipalities allow for DSRs in restaurants and/or bars (4 municipalities have sunset dates)

  • 42 municipalities allow for DSRs in bingo halls (3 municipalities have sunset dates)

  • 15 municipalities allow for DSRs in bowling alleys (4 municipalities have sunset dates)

  • 6 municipalities allow for DSRs in billiard halls (4 municipalities have sunset dates)

  • 21 municipalities allow for DSRs in gaming establishments (3 municipalities have sunset dates)

• To date, 171 municipalities have fully implemented smoke-free bylaws - 40 of these municipalities allow for DSRs.

• 9 municipalities (4 allow DSRs) are expected to fully implement smoke-free bylaws later in 2005 and beyond.

  Click here to view the 100% smoke-free workplace and public place bylaw chart.

  Click here to view the 100% smoke-free workplace and public place (allows DSRs) bylaw chart.

Municipalities with 100% Smoke-free Public Place Bylaws ONLY

• There are 42 municipalities that have 100% smoke-free public place bylaws, but do not have workplace regulations in place. They are divided as follows:

  • 3 cities (DSRs permitted in 1 of the 3 cities)
  • 2 counties
  • 1 municipality
  • 1 region
  • 5 towns
  • 5 townships

  In the municipalities that allow for construction of DSRs, they are permitted as follows:

  • DSRs in workplaces: 0 (one municipality allows smoking in lunch room provided an additional room of equal/larger size is designated as non-smoking)

  • DSRs in restaurants/bars: 1 municipality

  • DSRs in bingo halls: 2 municipalities

  • DSRs in bowling alleys: 0 municipalities

  • DSRs in billiard halls: 0 municipalities

  • DSRs in gaming establishments: 0 municipalities

• By the end of 2004, 39 municipalities will have smoke-free bylaws fully in force (38 currently implemented). Two other municipalities will have fully implemented bylaws in 2005-2006.

  Click here to view the accompanying chart.

Municipalities with Partial Smoke-free Workplace and/or Public Place Bylaws

• There are 31 municipalities that are covered by partial smoke-free workplace and/or public place bylaws:

  • 4 cities
  • 1 county
  • 1 district
  • 1 municipality
  • 5 towns
  • 7 townships

  20 of the 30 municipalities have some form of 100% coverage in the following facilities:

  • Smoke-free workplaces: 20 municipalities (1 municipalities allows for DSRs)

  • Smoke-free restaurants: 16 municipalities (3 municipalities allow for DSRs)

  • Smoke-free bars: 8 municipalities (1 municipalities allows for DSRs)

  • Smoke-free bingo halls: 14 municipalities (3 municipalities allow for DSRs)

  • Smoke-free bowling alleys: 23 municipalities (4 municipalities allow for DSRs)

  • Smoke-free billiard halls: 23 municipalities (3 municipalities allow for DSRs)

  • Smoke-free gaming: 1 municipality

• The majority of these municipalities (27 municipalities) already have bylaws fully in force. 4 municipalities will have fully implemented bylaws in 2005 and beyond.

  Click here to view the accompanying chart.

Municipalities With No Smoke-free Workplace and/or Public Place Bylaws

The remaining 197 municipalities do not have a smoke-free bylaw in place or only cover municipal buildings or municipally-owned buildings. Another type of bylaw included in this section are those that allow the proprietor to designate his/her establishment as either a smoking or non-smoking environment.

Click here to view the accompanying chart.