Smoking would be completely banned on Main Street and restricted in front of many businesses under a potential new Flin Flon bylaw.
City council has sought input from the business community about the proposed measure, but there’s no indication as to when the matter may come to a vote or whether it has enough support to pass.
The bylaw would prohibit smoking on the street, sidewalk and road allowance located on or adjoining Main Street.
“If we did go in that direction, I think the rationale would be to clean up the community,” said Mayor Cal Huntley, speaking at council’s Tuesday, July 18 meeting. “[Smoking] is bad for your health. It kills you. Secondhand smoke [affects] other passerbys.”
Mentioning discarded cigarette butts, Huntley said the measure would also align with the city’s Clean and Green initiative to beautify the community.
The bylaw would also ban smoking within 15 feet of the front doorway of any commercial establishment in Flin Flon that employs more than two workers at any one time.
Huntley noted council had supplied a copy of the potential bylaw to the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce for comment. He said feedback was expected in the near future.
The mayor did not know when the matter could potentially come to a vote among council.
Huntley firstreferenced the draft bylaw at council’s July 4 meeting. At that time he shared no specifics other than to say the measure would “address some of the options” outlined in a letter from concerned elementary school students.
In their letter to council, the grade 6 Ruth Betts Community School students suggested ideas such as making Main Street smoke-free.
Some residents have long complained about walking through clouds of secondhand smoke on Main Street, as well as the eyesore of discarded cigarette butts.
