Winnipeg councillor calls for hookah lounge regulations, citing carbon monoxide risk

Coun. Cindy Gilroy says it's time for Winnipeg to regulate hookah lounges, claiming the city has had to "abruptly shut down" flavoured tobacco parlours due to high carbon monoxide levels.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, however, says it has no knowledge of any order to vacate a hookah lounge due to carbon monoxide over the past year — and the councillor can not say where or when the alleged incidents happened.

On Thursday, Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) filed a motion to explore the idea of regulating hookah lounges by examining rules in other Canadian cities and consulting with the provincial Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority on ventilation and workplace-safety requirements.

The motion, which will come before council's community services committee in February, calls on the city to act because tobacco products contain carcinogens and that places patrons, workers and people in neighbouring businesses in potential harm.

"Hookah lounges use coal to burn the hookah which could be very dangerous to people's health and we're finding our fire department has to go into these buildings and actually shut them down, because they're afraid of carbon monoxide," Gilroy said during a noon-hour break in the monthly council meeting.

"That's a silent killer that could be poisoning people so we have to make sure that we have proper ventilation. We have to make sure they are monitored and make sure they are safe for the people who are enjoying hookah experiences."

Gilroy could not identify any specific hookah lounges that have been shut down or say when that occurred.

Neither could the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

"The WFPS does not have any records of orders to vacate in a building of this type in the past year," spokesperson Kristin Cuma said in a statement.

"For context, WFPS enforces the Manitoba Fire Code. In the case of suspected carbon monoxide exposure in any building, WFPS would respond and take steps to mitigate any risks. Steps could involve evacuating a building, ventilating, and providing medical care for patients."

Gilroy insisted the fire paramedic service and the Winnipeg Police Service raised hookah lounges as an issue and clarified she did not mean any were closed on a permanent basis.

"I did not mean shut them down entirely but my understanding [is they] had to clear them out or shut down for the night.  This was my understanding with [the] meeting I had with administration," she said.

Heba abdel Hamid, co-owner of Al Basha Restaurant and Cafe on Pembina Highway, which offers hookah, said she is not aware of any hookah lounges in Winnipeg getting shut down due to carbon monoxide issues.

She said her business and others like it were shuttered during the pandemic due to coronavirus concerns and could now face crippling financial burdens if new regulations require extensive ventilation upgrades.

"When we got our permits originally, the city did look at ventilation. This was part of our requirement," she said.

"When you're talking about creating regulations, that means considering finances and when small businesses have been shut down for two years and affected by a pandemic, are you going to be financially supporting us to be able to create these regulations?"

Abdel Hamid also said she would have preferred the councillor consult with people in her community and questioned the city's commitment to diversity and inclusion.

"The reality of hookah bars is we are all newcomers, immigrants and refugees, and we bring a part of our culture to whatever new city we come to and hookah bars are a very large part of our cultures," she said.

"It's where people gather, it's where people discuss politics, that's where they discuss life. It's a very big part of our culture, specifically in parts of the world where people don't drink alcohol, right? So rather than going to a bar, you're coming to a hookah bar."

Gilroy was asked whether she was concerned it appeared the city is singling out some ethnic or religious groups for special scrutiny.

"I'm not concerned. I'm hearing that even in other jurisdictions, in other countries where hookah is coming from, they are trying to manage this as well," she said.