Rentals - Smoke Free Housing Ontario

You will find resources and tools to assist with second-hand smoke or implementing a no-smoking policy in your building below:

Landlord Resources

A Landlord & Property Manager’s Guide to Smoke-Free Housing in English and French
The Business Case for Smoke-Free Housing in English and French
Smoke-Free Housing (YouTube video)
Human Rights and No-Smoking Policies for Multi-Unit Housing
Landlord’s Self-Help Centre, a non-profit community legal clinic for small Ontario landlords, provides information, advice and referrals.
Ontario Human Rights Commission – Policy on Human Rights and Rental Housing
Can the Smell of Second-Hand Smoke Constitute Damage?

Sample Tools for Landlords

Tenant survey
Tenant warning letter
Tenant notification letterfor no-smoking policy
Resident manager notification letter
Log sheet to track how concerns were addressed
Media release

Signage

Welcome to our Smoke Free Building Sign Example 1, Example 2
This Unit is Smoke-Free sign
This building is transitioning to smoke-free housing sign

Cannabis Cultivation

Cannabis Cultivation Fact Sheet

Tenant Resources

Legal Aid Ontario – Legal aid is available for issues such as landlord and tenant disputes, based on financial qualification.
Human Rights Legal Support Centre offers legal services such as assistance filing an application for the Landlord and Tenant Board and representation on human rights applications for people who believe they have experienced discrimination.
Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario is a specialty community legal clinic that works to defend the interests of tenants with low income.

Sample Tools for Tenants

Log sheet to trackexposure to second-hand smoke
Complaint letter
Physician letter
Checklist for Landlord and Tenant Board hearing
Human Rights and No-Smoking Policies for Multi-Unit Dwellings

Cessation Supports

Smokers’ Helpline Online Support provides tips, tools and support to quit smoking 7 days a week from 8 am to 9 pm, excluding holidays
Smokers’ Helpline Text Support – text iQuit to 123456 to receive support from a live Quit Coach during business hours and text messages customized to your quit date
Smokers’ Helpline Quit Map lists programs and services for quitting smoking by location
Stop on the Net offers 10 weeks of free NRT by mail.
Check with your local Public Health Unit to see what smoking cessation supports and services are available in your area.

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Disclaimer – The information in this section is of a general nature and is to be used for informational purposes only. This information is not legal advice. If you are unclear about your rights or responsibilities, we highly recommend that you seek legal advice from an appropriate professional.

It's simply the right thing to do and, from what our buyers have said on our last two projects, they unanimously embrace this feature.

Providing healthy living spaces, increasing fire safety, lowering turnover costs, and ensuring tenants satisfaction is important to us. As a supportive housing provider, offering smoke-free housing helps us accomplish these goals.

Smoke-free housing policies protect residents from harmful tobacco smoke exposure and also support smokers who want to reduce or quit smoking.

I am one of the truly blessed now to be safe in affordable smoke-free housing.

After spending thousands of dollars trying to prevent second-hand smoke from infiltrating units, it became apparent the only and best solution was to make the 90-unit condominium a smoke-free facility. Smoke free makes us more attractive to future residents.

It should be noted though that the process wasn’t easy…neighbours encouraged neighbours and ... clean air prevailed.