Smoke-Free Housing - Landlords and Property Owners

Can you picture your property smoke-free? You can make it happen. When you use a standard lease with a smoke-free policy in your buildings, you’ll save money, prevent damage and meet market demand! Get started.

Benefits of Smoke-Free Housing²

With an increase in support and demand for smoke-free multi-unit housing, adopting a no-smoking policy is not only legal but also good for business.

Reduces the risk of fire and related damage

• Tobacco related materials are the #1 cause of fatal residential fires³
• No-smoking policies may reduce insurance costs

Reduces the maintenance and cleaning costs of turning over a unit

• The cost of cleaning a smoking unit can be 2-3 more than a non-smoking unit

Increases marketability

• The easier it is to clean a unit, the sooner the unit can be back on the market
• Smoke-free units have a higher resale value
• Units and buildings with fire damage can be off the market for long periods of time

Smoke-Free Ontario Act

Under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 (SFOA, 2017) it is illegal to smoke tobacco or cannabis and use an e-cigarette to vape any substance in the common areas (such as lobbies, elevators, stairwells, covered parking garages and hallways) of condominiums, apartments or post-secondary residence buildings.

No Smoking and No Vaping Signs

Property owners/managers must ensure that No Smoking Signs (PDF) and No E-Cigarette Use (No Vaping) signs or combined No Smoking/No Vaping signs are posted on all entrances and throughout the building’s common areas. No smoking and no vaping signs can be obtained at no cost by contacting the Middlesex-London Health Unit. 

There is no law that regulates smoking or vaping in a private, self-contained unit such as an apartment or condominium.

However, landlords and property owners have the legal right to protect their investment and offer smoke-free housing. The good news is that the majority of those living in Ontario do not smoke and would choose smoke-free housing, if given the choice.¹

Smoke-Free Housing Directory

Are you already offering smoke-free housing? Add your property/building(s) to the smoke-free housing directory. This will help people find smoke-free housing in their community.

Contact the Middlesex-London Health Unit

• Get no smoking and no vaping signs at no cost.

• Obtain a certificate acknowledging your efforts in going 100% smoke-free or working towards a smoke-free living space.

Smoke-Free Housing Ontario

For more information, please visit Smoke-Free Housing Ontario. This website includes some great resources and tools for landlords and propery owners.