Whitehorse will soon be making it more difficult for smokers to congregate at entrances to public buildings.
The city will amend its citywide smoking bylaw which prohibits smoking within three metres of a public entrance to address the problem of ashtrays being within the three-metre zone.
Due to littering concerns it is not desirable to eliminate ashtrays entirely, but having such receptacles in place at entrances is deemed to encourage people to stand around entrances and smoke, said councillor Florence Roberts at Monday night’s council meeting.
It is now felt to be prudent to amend the Smoking Bylaw to include a section that prohibits ashtrays at building entrances within the three-metre zone.
Fines can be issued for any violation of the new bylaw.