Adopting a no-smoking policy is easier than you think. Here are two key things you need to know before you get started:

1. Adopting a no-smoking policy is legal in BC.
   As the landlord or property manager of private or public housing, it is fully within your rights to designate all or part of your building(s) as smoke-free, including individual units, balconies and the entire property. See our legal opinion for more information.
2. Existing tenants must be ‘grandfathered’.
   This means that only new tenancy agreements can include a ‘no smoking’ clause, and existing tenants must be grandfathered (exempted) during the length of their tenancy, or they consent in writing to the new policy. Your building will gradually be converted to smoke-free status as the smoking tenants vacate the premises.

We’ve designed the following sections to provide you with easy steps on adopting and enforcing a no-smoking policy. How you proceed will depend on your situation and what type of building(s) you manage.

		Policy Adoption: New Buildings Are you planning to develop a new building or complex and want to make it smoke-free from the outset? Read more
		Policy Adoption: Existing Buildings Are you considering converting a section*, or one or all of your buildings to smoke-free status? Read more
		Policy Adoption: Non-Profit Housing Coming soon. Read more.
		Enforcement Are you enforcing a no-smoking policy violation or a breach of quiet enjoyment? Read more

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since smoke cannot be contained, it is highly recommended that you designate an entire building as smoke-free versus designating certain sections or floors as smoke-free. If smoking and non-smoking units/sections are adjoining, tenants may still experience smoke infiltrating their homes. It will be difficult under these circumstances to advertise the unit as smoke-free if there is the chance that smoke from a smoking unit can intrude on the non-smoking neighbours.