Can You Smoke or Vape in a Canadian Airport?

Each airport authority sets its own smoking rules, so there is no single national answer, but the pattern is consistent: not inside, and only in marked spots outside. The two authorities whose pages we could read both confine smoking to places away from the terminal. Flying with a vape is a separate federal matter, handled by Transport Canada.

What are the rules at Calgary International Airport?

Calgary’s airport authority says smoking and vaping are allowed “only in a few outdoor areas,” outside the terminals in designated areas at Doors 1, 7 and 17 on both the Arrivals and Departures levels. Cannabis is a different matter and is not covered here.

What are the rules at Victoria International Airport?

Victoria’s authority prohibits smoking in all areas of the airport except designated locations. The only designated areas are two smoking shelters in the short-term parking lot. Its page does not mention vaping, so we cannot say how e-cigarettes are treated there. Ask the airport before assuming a shelter is open to vapers.

What about Toronto, Vancouver and Montréal?

We could not confirm current rules for the three largest airports. Toronto Pearson’s site returned a bot-check page, Vancouver’s blocked our request with a 403 error, and Montréal’s help page did the same. We did not try to work around those blocks. Check the airport’s own website before you travel; a posted sign on site will also tell you where the line is.

Can I take a vape on the plane?

You can carry one, but only in the cabin. Transport Canada’s safety advisory (page modified 25 February 2026) sets out what travellers must do:

1. Keep the e-cigarette in your carry-on or on your person, not in checked baggage.
2. Put spare batteries in carry-on too. Protect each one against short circuits with its original packaging, taped terminals, or a separate pouch or plastic bag.
3. Stop the heating element from switching on by accident.
4. Do not recharge the device or its batteries on board.

The advisory’s reasoning is that accidental activation in a checked bag can overheat and start a fire, and in the cabin an incident can be addressed right away. For rules on bringing nicotine products across the border, see bringing cigarettes and vapes across the border.

Is smoking on a plane against the law?

On flights it is regulated by the federal Non-smokers’ Health Act. Section 5 stops an employer from designating a smoking area on an aircraft carrying passengers for hire or reward, apart from certain segments, such as flights longer than two hours or between Canada and a country other than the United States. An employee who learns a passenger is smoking in breach of the Act must ask them to stop, and if they do not, the employer must require them to disembark at the next scheduled stop. A 2018 amending Act extended the Non-smokers’ Health Act to vaping in federal workplaces and on certain modes of transportation. The section 5 text we read speaks only of smoking, so check your airline’s own policy on vaping in the cabin.

Where do I read the wider rules for visitors?

Provinces and cities set the rules on streets, patios and parks; the rules for visitors page explains them, and Canada versus US rules compares ages and limits. The visiting Canada hub lists every travel page.