Vote Quimby
TRIBE Member
Bars seek millions over smoking ban
Canadian Press
Toronto — Ontario's bar and pub owners are asking for $500-million in compensation from the provincial government if a province-wide smoking ban is put in place.
“We know it's going to cost a lot of money to our industry if the government does implement the ban,” Barry McKay, head of the Pub and Bar Coalition of Canada, said Tuesday.
“There will be collateral damage to our industry. We feel if they insist with going ahead with a ban, knowing full well the damages that are going to be caused, they should be prepared to pay some compensation.”
A smoking ban would mean a loss of $180-million in beer sales for bars and pubs every year, the coalition says.
With a minimum investment of $250,000 in a small bar, and factoring the loss of revenue for businesses that survive a smoking ban, potential losses will be in the region of $500-million, the group says.
The Ontario Tobacco Control Act, passed in 1994, allowed municipalities to restrict smoking in workplaces and public places.
Since then, 73 of 446 Ontario municipalities have implemented smoke-free bylaws in restaurants or both restaurants and bars.
The Brewers Association of Canada has found that in municipalities where smoking bans have been implemented, beer sales have dropped by roughly 6 per cent, Mr. McKay said.
“Invariably, there is a difference in the region of 6 to 7 per cent between banned areas and no-ban areas, and that equates to a lot of beer,” he said.
At least 900 small bars across Ontario will be forced to close if all municipalities follow the no-smoking trend, the coalition says.
The group is demanding the $500-million in compensation from the Ontario government because provincial legislation is allowing municipalities to implement smoking bans, Mr. McKay said.
“It would be totally impossible for us to go after 20, 30, 40 municipalities,” he said.
In last fall's Ontario election campaign, the Liberals promised to implement a province-wide ban on smoking in public places and workplaces.
http://globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040106.wsmoke0106/BNStory/National/
Canadian Press
Toronto — Ontario's bar and pub owners are asking for $500-million in compensation from the provincial government if a province-wide smoking ban is put in place.
“We know it's going to cost a lot of money to our industry if the government does implement the ban,” Barry McKay, head of the Pub and Bar Coalition of Canada, said Tuesday.
“There will be collateral damage to our industry. We feel if they insist with going ahead with a ban, knowing full well the damages that are going to be caused, they should be prepared to pay some compensation.”
A smoking ban would mean a loss of $180-million in beer sales for bars and pubs every year, the coalition says.
With a minimum investment of $250,000 in a small bar, and factoring the loss of revenue for businesses that survive a smoking ban, potential losses will be in the region of $500-million, the group says.
The Ontario Tobacco Control Act, passed in 1994, allowed municipalities to restrict smoking in workplaces and public places.
Since then, 73 of 446 Ontario municipalities have implemented smoke-free bylaws in restaurants or both restaurants and bars.
The Brewers Association of Canada has found that in municipalities where smoking bans have been implemented, beer sales have dropped by roughly 6 per cent, Mr. McKay said.
“Invariably, there is a difference in the region of 6 to 7 per cent between banned areas and no-ban areas, and that equates to a lot of beer,” he said.
At least 900 small bars across Ontario will be forced to close if all municipalities follow the no-smoking trend, the coalition says.
The group is demanding the $500-million in compensation from the Ontario government because provincial legislation is allowing municipalities to implement smoking bans, Mr. McKay said.
“It would be totally impossible for us to go after 20, 30, 40 municipalities,” he said.
In last fall's Ontario election campaign, the Liberals promised to implement a province-wide ban on smoking in public places and workplaces.
http://globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040106.wsmoke0106/BNStory/National/
