Burnaby is not currently considering a smoking ban in city parks, according to parks staff and the city's environment committee.
A ban was considered a couple of years ago, according to Coun. Dan Johnston, chair of Burnaby's environment committee, but the committee decided it would prefer smoking restrictions be put in by the province or Metro Vancouver Board for all city parks, rather than each city having different bylaws.
"We sent the province a letter at the time," Johnston said, but the committee hasn't pursued the issue.
The City of Burnaby also sent a letter to the B.C. government last March, asking that it review various non-smoking bylaws and introduce uniform standard regulations throughout the province.
Metro Vancouver recently brought in a smoking ban in all regional parks, including Burnaby Lake Park, the only regional park in Burnaby, and the Brunette-Fraser Regional Greenway.
The smoking ban was enacted on Jan. 1 in the regional government's 33 parks, with enforcement - including $75 fines - beginning in February.
The move was intended to protect park patrons from the dangers of second-hand smoke, according to a press release from Metro Vancouver, with support from local, regional, provincial and federal health organizations and authorities, and municipal fire departments.
"Secondhand smoke is of particular concern in high-activity areas where people congregate such as beaches, play-grounds, campgrounds, picnic areas, shelters and reservable buildings," the release stated. "In addition, the bylaw addresses issues of fire safety and littering."
The smoking prohibition is in effect in all Metro Vancouver parks and greenways.
Burnaby does occasionally enact temporary smoking bans in city parks, according to Dave Ellenwood, Burnaby's director of parks, recreation and cultural services.
"We have mostly been concerned about the fire risk posed by smoking," he said.
The city has banned smoking in the past, as advised by the provincial fire marshal and the Burnaby fire department, Ellenwood added.
Last August, Burnaby banned smoking due to fire risk in city parks with fines of up to $2,000 for those who dropped lit matches, cigars, cigarettes or other burning sub-stances in the parks.
Coquitlam banned smoking in city parks in 2010, as did Vancouver - with smoking banned there at city beaches, as well.
New Westminster, like Burnaby, does not have an all-out smoking ban in its parks.
