Okotoks has won many awards over the years mainly for it water conservation initiatives, but now one of its bylaws inspired the creation of a new national award focused on healthy communities.
Town council was presented the inaugural Iron Lung award from the Alberta and Northwest Territories Lung Association last week in recognition of Okotoks’ bylaw banning smoking in vehicles when children are present.
Association president Leigh Allard said Okotoks’ bylaw was the inspiration for them to create the new award.
“It was innovative because no other municipality in Alberta had done this and actually it showcased around Canada,” she said.
Okotoks passed the ban on smoking in vehicles where children are present in 2008 and it was the second municipality in Canada to enact such a bylaw.
Allard said the Iron Lung award is in recognition of a pioneering spirit, innovation and creativity in developing new initiatives to help people breath easier. It will not be an annual award and will only be handed out to honour programs the association feels are worthy.
“It’s not something we’re going to give out over and over and over, but Okotoks really showcased the pioneering spirit of the award,” said Allard.
Okotoks was the first municipality in Alberta to tackle the issue and while it has taken some time, other municipalities in Alberta are now following suit.
The town’s of Leduc and Athabasca have followed Okotoks’ lead and passed similar bylaws. As well, Okotoks Coun. Stephen Clark has met with members of Medicine Hat city council and was in attendance when the council passed a motion seeking a similar bylaw.
The Town of Wolfville, Nova Scotia was the first place in Canada to approve a bylaw banning smoking in vehicles when children are present. A number of provincial governments have also followed suit, including Saskatchewan and B.C.
Allard said the initiative is starting to gain momentum and she believes the provincial government will eventually institute the ban province-wide.
Clark said it wasn’t his intention for Okotoks to win an award when he first proposed the bylaw in 2008. However, he added, it’s a good recognition of the Town’s initiative.
“I don’t really know what to say about this other than I sure am proud of the town,” he said. “I’m sure happy the lung association is furthering the cause and this award is one method to get more publicity out there that it needs to be a provincial standard.”
Under the Town’s bylaw, no one can smoke inside a vehicle when children under the age of 16 are present. It sets out a minimum $200 fine and a $300 minimum fine for subsequent offences within a one-year period.
Clark said he is disappointed the provincial government has not yet followed suit and passed a law banning smoking in vehicles when children are present.
“I find it strange that on virtually the third anniversary of this bylaw that the Province has yet to pick it up and it’s still in the realm of municipalities to do it,” he said.
