THUNDER BAY — Castlegreen Co-operative is proposing a ban on smoking throughout its housing complex in the north end of Thunder Bay.
The prohibition against tobacco, cannabis and vaping products would apply to residential units and all other buildings on the property.
It would not include traditional Indigenous cultural and spiritual smudging.
Castlegreen's board of directors is asking residents to approve the ban at a meeting Thursday evening at 7:00.
The co-op's 215 rental units make it one of the city's largest housing complexes.
General manager Sharon McKinnon says a recent survey of tenants found that only a handful still smoke inside their residences.
But, based on feedback from some residents, the board felt it was prudent to take action to protect people from second-hand smoke, reduce maintenance costs, and minimize the risk of fire.
McKinnon said the legalization of cannabis was another motivating factor.
She noted that the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board's public housing facilities are designated smoke-free, as are numerous co-op housing projects across Canada.
McKinnon believes the ban will be approved by Castlegreen's members, but she also expects "some really good, respectful debate" at the meeting.
She speculated that some longer-term residents may propose a grandfather clause rather than "a dead stop" to indoor smoking.
The question of policing the prohibition is also likely to come up.
If someone was found smoking inside their unit, "they would obviously be in breach of their housing, which could cause some significant results...There is a process for eviction but it is a huge, long, long process," McKinnon observed.
Assuming the membership approves the new bylaw, she said, Castlegreen might at some point consider establishing designated smoking areas outside as a next step.
