Is Government-Owned Housing Smoke-Free?

Only some governments have published a smoke-free rule for social housing that we could check against an official page. Saskatchewan has had a no-smoking policy for all properties owned or leased by Saskatchewan Housing Corporation since 1 August 2018. Nunavut has made it illegal to smoke, vape or use cannabis in its staff and public housing. This is the position as of 27 October 2026, and absence from this page is not evidence of an absence of rules: it means we found no official page to cite.

What does Saskatchewan’s policy cover?

The province announced the policy on 20 June 2018. It applies to all Saskatchewan Housing Corporation properties, owned or leased, and covers smoking and vaping, including cannabis. Smoking is permitted only in designated smoking areas located outside.

Tenants are not required to quit; they have to smoke in those outdoor areas. The government said local housing authorities would work with tenants to put the policy in place, and the corporation would give information on free quit-smoking programs on request. Saskatchewan described itself as the second province or territory to adopt a province-wide policy for government-owned housing, after Yukon. We could not open Yukon’s own policy page, so we do not describe its terms.

What does Nunavut’s rule cover?

Nunavut’s rule is a law, not just a landlord policy. The government’s tobacco page says it is illegal to smoke, vape or use cannabis, or allow others to, in all Government of Nunavut staff and public housing. It includes common areas of a building: balconies, hallways, stairs and shared entrances.

Outdoors, the territory defines a buffer zone as 9 metres from any entrance or exit to a building, including ramps, walkways, stairs, landings, windows and air intakes. For how that distance works elsewhere, see smoking distance from doors and entrances.

Where do tenants complain?

In Nunavut, tenant complaints about tobacco, vaping or cannabis go to the Local Housing Organization or the regional Nunavut Housing Corporation office. In Saskatchewan the announcement says local housing authorities work with tenants to carry out the policy, so that is the sensible first contact. Neither page describes a penalty process for tenants, so we do not.

What about common areas in other social housing?

Where no housing-specific rule exists, the general statutes still apply. In Ontario, for example, the ban on smoking and vaping covers any common indoor areas of apartment buildings, condos and residences, such as hallways, lobbies and laundry facilities. Inside a social-housing unit, the lease decides; see can a landlord ban smoking in a rental unit for how that works in several provinces.

A housing provider that wants to adopt a policy of its own can start from the smoke-free building policy template and the landlord and property manager toolkit. Tenants should also read the tenants’ guide to smoke-free housing. This is general information, not legal advice.