(Town of Caledon) - At the regular meeting of Council on July 14, 2003, Council for The Corporation of the Town of Caledon enacted a Smoke-Free By-law that will require all workplaces and public places to be 100% smoke-free October 1, 2003.

"The people of Caledon have been strongly supportive on this public health issue. I am pleased that Council has taken this decisive stand," stated Mayor Seglins.

The former Smoke-Free By-law was passed by Caledon Council in June of 1999, in partnership with the Region of Peel, Mississauga, and Brampton, and was instrumental in paving the way for other municipalities such as York Region and Toronto to pass similar by-laws shortly thereafter. This By-law provided that all workplaces and most public places be smoke-free, with some specific classifications that were subject to phased smoking restrictions. These restrictions included the establishment of unenclosed smoking areas for a short period of time and separately ventilated Designated Smoking Rooms (DSRs) to be constructed by specific dates prescribed in the By-law. DSRs were to provide a compromise for phasing in a smoke-free environment.

Recently, the trend of municipalities has been to pass smoke-free by-laws that provide for a 100% smoke-free environment. During consultations held this past February, business owners in Caledon expressed their approval of eliminating DSRs in the Town of Caledon to fully protect employees, children and the public from second-hand smoke.

Caledon recently participated in a Committee that looked at eliminating DSRs in the Region of Peel. As a result, a smoke-free by-law was passed by the Region of Peel that will eliminate DSRs by 2010, however, this did not address the concerns of residents and business owners in Caledon.

Caledon is in a unique position since no DSRs have been established in Caledon, and therefore, existing DSRs are not an issue. Caledon Council then determined that the Caledon Smoke-Free By-law should provide a smoke-free environment by October 1, 2003. Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health for the Region of Peel, congratulated Caledon Council on its decision. "Caledon residents will soon enjoy the highest available level of protection against second-hand smoke in public places, and Caledon youth will receive a clear message about the health hazards of smoking ", said McKeown.

For further details please contact the Town of Caledon, Property Standards Section. Copies of the By-law will be available on our website in the very near future at www.town.caledon.on.ca