Montreal Terraces Will be Smoke Free Starting Tomorrow

It’s not just the boulangeries and cobbledstone streets that make Montreal feel like Europe — it’s a penchant for smoking, too.

Which is why many people will be disappointed to learn that the city is finally changing its policies on smoking in public.

Lighting up MTL will become much tougher starting tomorrow as a set of new rules come into effect in Quebec. These new changes will forbid smoking cigarettes in a number of public areas – most importantly, near children and on restaurant and bar terraces.

The change was unanimously adopted last November, with some of the guidelines coming into effect immediately. Others will continue to come into effect every few months until November 2017.

The Quebec government is tightening its smoking laws to take aim at second-hand smoke, which can be felt from up to 13 metres away, especially in the presence of young people.

Starting tomorrow, you will no longer be able to smoke in cars with children under 16 years old, in common areas of residential buildings with two to five apartments, in daycares, in all schools and high schools, as well as teaching establishments for adults or for professional training.

If you’re caught smoking in these areas you’ll be greeted with a hefty fine of $250-$750 for first-time smoking offenders and $500-$1500 for repeat offenders.

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