Harsher smoking ban hits Ottawa Monday

Bylaw enforcement officersare warning Ottawans starting Monday not to smoke on patios and all outdoor municipal properties such as parks and beaches.

Thenew rulesapply 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is the beginning of the warning phase.

As of July 2, bylaw officers will have the authority to issue provincial offence notices that carry fines up to $300.

Greg Smith laughed about the changes.

"I'll take my car and go out in a field about 10 km out of town and have a smoke," he said,"because that's where we're heading."

Jim Livingstone has been smoking for 30 years.

"I'm going to abide by it, but it doesn't necessarily mean I'll like it," he said.

At the Sir John A pub on Elgin Street, supervisor Meghan Brennan said she is not concerned about business, but is worried about safety.

"On a busy Friday night, having 20 to 25 smokers on the sidewalk, disrupting traffic coming up and down the street, would be more of a problem than having a designated smoking section where people can sit," she said.

City council voted in favour of the changesin February.