U of T to ban smoking on campus

The University of Toronto says that it is beginning the process of banning smoking on campus.

The decision came shortly after an announcement this week that McMaster University will ban all smoking on its campuses starting January 1, 2018.

“U of T does have similar plans underway,” Althea Blackburn-Evans, Director of Media Relations at U of T, told The Varsity. “But they have yet to go through governance.”

Currently, U of T’s smoking policy dates back to 1995 — eleven years before it became illegal to smoke in bars and pubs in Ontario.

It remains to be seen how a smoking ban could be enforced on, for instance, the St. George campus, which includes a large chunk of Toronto’s downtown core.

Some parts of the St. George campus, like the entirety of King’s College Circle, are privately owned by U of T, making these areas subject to university policy. However, some larger thoroughfares, like St. George street itself, include public roadways and sidewalks, which may not fall under the jurisdiction of the school.

This story is developing, more to follow.