All subsidized housing run by the Greater Victoria Housing Society is in buildings where smoking is allowed. That means residents are allowed to smoke inside the building, regardless of children visiting grandma or grandma navigating smoke-filled hallways.
Non-smokers in the building cannot use their bathroom fans or range-hood fans because it brings in smoke from the halls around their apartments.
Non-smokers cannot open their windows if living next to a smoker. Smoke drifts up from the parking areas and by the front door.
Under the Canadian constitution, smokers do not have the right to smoke, but in subsidized housing, it is the non-smokers who have no rights.
If the mayor and council of Victoria succeed in borrowing money to build more housing, which we need, who is going to manage this housing? Residents in our housing have had to provide the new “no smoking within seven metres” signs for caretakers to install, as the Greater Victoria Housing Society was still “getting around to it” after five months.
New “No smoking” signs were put up on the fire doors on the roof and an ashtray provided to deter smoking on the roof.
You might get a contact high or a severe allergic reaction in the elevator — depends on your luck.
Is this helping the owners of the housing or the people in housing?
Ann-Marie Andrews
Victoria
