Hampstead city council voted 5-2 in favour of banning smoking on municipal property.
Bylaw 1019 would effectively ban smoking just about everywhere but people's homes and backyards. Tobacco and marijuana smoking would be banned on streets, on sidewalks in parks and outside municipal buildings.
A draft of the bylaw was passed unanimously by Hampstead's council earlier this month, although two councillors voted against it at special town council meeting Monday night.
One of the dissenting councillors, Warren Budnig, says he was hoping the proposed draft amendment would have excluded sidewalks and roads.
Budnig says he wants to be realistic and sees issues in how the Town of Hampstead will police it.
The new rules have also drawn criticism from, ironically, the Quebec Non-Smokers' Rights Association, whose president, François Damphousse, suggests the bylaw may end up doing more harm than good, by essentially forcing smokers back inside — something which his group has been fighting against for decades.
A Hampstead resident is opposing the bylaw for the same reason because he lives in shared housing and fears health conditions would be worse for people living in duplexes and apartments.
Mayor William Steinberg has said the law would protect people's health and send a strong anti-smoking message.
The bylaw is expected to take effect in the next week or so.
With files from The Canadian Press & CJAD 800's Richard Deschamps