BC Ferries’ smoking ban kicked in Monday (Jan. 22). The move was announced last summer, but the start date was set to coincide with National Non-Smoking Week.
“BC Ferries is introducing a smoke-free environment to support the health and wellness of its customers and employees,” the company said in a release.
“The new policy applies to the smoking of tobacco and any other substance, including the use of e-cigarettes. All vessels and terminal properties will become smoke and vape-free environments, including the interior of all vehicles on BC Ferries property.”
The policy also applies to smoking or vaping marijuana.
One of the reasons BC Ferries gave for moving to a fully smoke-free environment at the terminals and on board was changes to provincial regulations that increased the mandatory buffer zones around doors to six metres – a distance that would exclude many areas of the outside decks.
At the fall meeting of the Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee, BC Ferries president and CEO Mark Collins confirmed the rules will extend to cars parked at the terminals. He said staff would approach enforcement in much the same way as they’ve been dealing with the rule around staying on lower car decks, and he expects very few people will ignore the ban.
“Our responsibility is to inform people it’s a non-smoking area. If we face a difficult situation or a belligerent situation, our employees are being instructed to back off and inform their supervisor,” he told the committee.
According to a January newsletter from president of the BC Ferry and Marine Workers Union, some crew members continue to have concerns about the policy.
BC Ferries said it’s offering an “integrated health and wellness strategy for employees who smoke, including smoking cessation programs and nicotine replacement therapies,” as part of the policy’s roll out.
Smoking at work will not be an option for employees as of January 2018.
