We’ve already seen further restrictions to smoking in restaurants and public places in BC for quite a while but what about condos?
A Langley woman is trying to change that after a petition is looking to ban smoking inside all condo and multi-dwelling units has received over 15,000 signatures.
Tony Gioventu is with the Condominium Home Owners Association and spoke with Vista Radio.
“You know, we have more condo type buildings in apartments, townhouses and high rises that are being built in construction than any other construction in the history of BC. The lifestyle that people have is changing and the petition really reflects the changing lifestyles that people are facing.”
The attitude of people who live in this type of housing needs to change.
“When you live in these buildings, your home is not your castle. Whatever you do is going to affect your neighbor and if it affects them in a way that hurts their health, enjoyment of property or creates a bother then it is going to be a problem.”
A lot of strata and condo-style housing exists in Prince George and local realtor Bob Quinlan states not all standards are the same when it comes to smoking in units, making it a slippery slope.
“Each unit, whether it would be a stratified condo complex or whether it’s a multi-family 12 to 18 unit apartment, each one has its own standards anywhere from smoking inside your own unit to having absolutely no smoking.”
However, Quinlan doesn’t see a full ban coming anytime soon.
“I can’t see that happening in my lifetime because I think it is common sense that were not going to do that. We’ve done things to restaurants and other public places here and until smoking is gone completely, I don’t see that happening.”
The “Air We Share” petition was launched after the woman had smoke drift into her unit through the walls and fixtures over a two-year period.