Smoking Laws in Canada: What Is Banned and Where

Smoking and vaping rules in Canada come in three layers: federal law, provincial or territorial law, and city bylaws. Provinces and territories set most of the bans on where you can smoke or vape, and cities add rules for parks, patios and doorways. The strictest rule that applies where you stand is the one to follow.

Three layers of rules

Federal law covers tobacco and vaping products themselves, and smoking in federal workplaces and on some kinds of transport. The details are in federal smoking laws explained.

Provinces and territories decide most of the rest: where people can smoke and vape (workplaces, enclosed public places, patios, school grounds, playgrounds, vehicles with children) and the minimum age, which can be higher than the federal 18. See smoking and vaping laws by province and territory and the legal smoking age in Canada.

Cities then add their own rules for parks, beaches, transit stops and doorways, and some set stricter distances than the province does. You can search them in the rules-by-city database.

Start here

• Where can I smoke outdoors? Outdoor smoking bans, smoking near doorways and balconies and patios.
• Camping or hiking? Parks and campgrounds compares Parks Canada and provincial park rules.
• What about cars and transit? Smoking in cars and public transit and taxis.
• Work. Workplace smoking laws, vaping at work and how to report a violation.
• Renting or owning. Smoke-free housing: a tenants’ guide, whether a landlord can ban smoking, condominium bylaws and smoke-free social housing.
• Smoke from next door. Where to complain about smoke in an apartment and the neighbour complaint letter generator.
• Penalties. Fines for smoking in prohibited places.
• Health. Health effects of second-hand smoke.

What provincial laws usually cover

The details differ, but the same subjects come up everywhere.

• Indoor public places and workplaces. Ontario bans smoking and vaping in enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places. In Alberta, nobody may smoke or vape in a workplace, a public place or a public vehicle.
• Patios. Ontario bans smoking and vaping on bar and restaurant patios and in public areas within nine metres of them.
• Playgrounds, sports fields and schools. Ontario bans smoking and vaping on school grounds, children’s playgrounds and publicly owned sports areas, and in public areas within 20 metres of them.
• Vehicles with children. In Ontario you cannot smoke tobacco or vape in a vehicle when anyone aged 15 or younger is inside. Fines are $1,000 for a first conviction and $5,000 for later ones. Alberta bans smoking and vaping in a vehicle with a minor under 18.
• Vaping. In Ontario and Alberta the smoke-free rules cover vaping as well as smoking.

When a city goes further

A city rule can be stricter than the province’s. Toronto prohibits smoking within nine metres of any entrance or exit of a public building, and a first offence can bring a fine of up to $1,000. Calgary’s Smoking and Vaping Bylaw sets the distance at five metres from an entrance or exit to a public premises. Edmonton prohibits smoking and vaping within 10 metres of a bus stop, a doorway, or an openable window or air intake of a building or patio.

If you are not sure

1. Look up your province on the comparison page.
2. Check your city in the database, or on the city’s own bylaw page.
3. If the answer matters, say for a business or a lease, read the official text linked next to each statement.

What we could not confirm

We have confirmed the examples above for Ontario, Alberta and a few cities, not every jurisdiction, and bylaws change. The law changes log shows the changes we could date.