It looks like some local seniors and veterans wanting to smoke will now be forced out into the cold.
On Tuesday night Erin council rejected the county bylaw prohibiting smoking in Legions and nursing homes throughout the county, but that decision likely means very little, if anything.
As of Dec. 18, at least four other lower tier municipalities have supported the county bylaw, which comes into effect “the day upon which a majority of councils … representing the majority of the electors in Wellington County, have passed resolutions consenting to the bylaw.”
Guelph-Eramosa and Wellington North councils supported the bylaw on Monday night and Centre Wellington and Minto councils approved the bylaw last week.
Puslinch was expected to make a decision on Wednesday night, after the Advertiser deadline, and Mapleton will review the bylaw in the new year.
And while the required number of councils have supported the bylaw, county CAO Scott Wilson said on Tuesday the county had yet to receive written confirmation of a decision from any lower tier municipalities – and the bylaw will not become official until that happens.
Erin and Guelph-Eramosa
Erin council turned down the bylaw by a 4-1 vote, with only councillor Josie Wintersinger in favour.
Guelph-Eramosa councillors had reservations about the bylaw similar to those expressed by Erin councillors.
Councillor Reta Moyer questioned the reasoning behind telling someone in their 90s living in a nursing home – which is effectively their home – that they can no longer smoke.
Councillor Doug Breen agreed, and wondered why the county would not just repeal its previous smoking bylaw and go with the Smoke Free Ontario Act, which took effect in 2006 and is more restrictive than the new county bylaw, other than provisions regarding smoking in Legions and nursing homes.
Mayor Chris White said there should be some leeway when it comes to Legions and nursing homes.
“I don’t like it,” White said of the county bylaw.
Yet when it came time to vote on a resolution supporting the bylaw, council was unanimously in favour.
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