Municipal staff will research and develop a bylaw which would ban smoking on all municipal property.
Coun. Erin Trainer, who proposed the bylaw, said the risk of a wildfire this summer prompted her to call for the bylaw.
“It concerns me because of the hot, dry weather we’ve been having,” she said.
She added that the bylaw would also help to reduce the number of cigarette butts littering beaches and parks in the community.
Members of the public have also complained about the number of discarded cigarette butts they have noticed.
Trainer believes a no smoking bylaw is needed in Summerland.
“It really sends a message about our values in this town,” she said.
Linda Tynan, Summerland’s chief administrative officer, said signs are in place prohibiting smoking in parks, but there is no bylaw in place to enforce a no smoking policy.
“Enforcement is difficult in the outdoors,” she added.
In a report to council, Tynan said the time required for staff to research and prepare a no smoking bylaw would be minimal, since there are already good “best practices” no smoking bylaws in other municipalities.
A resolution to direct staff to develop the no smoking bylaw received unanimous council support on Monday evening.
