The city is considering extending its smoking ban to include not only all municipal property, but also outdoor patios many bars created after smoking was banned indoors more than a decade ago. City councillors voted Tuesday to have staff begin consulting the public on tougher anti-smoking rules, with separate consultations planned for restaurant and bar owners who would be affected by the outdoor patio ban. A report with options is expected by the fall. Michael Perley, head of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco, told councillors there’s a perception that outdoor patios are don't affect anyone other than the smokers. In fact, he said, they are a workplace for bar and restaur... [Read more]