Smoking to be banned in N.W.T. public housing units, minister says

The Northwest Territories government is moving to ban smoking in government-owned public housing units.

N.W.T. Housing Minister Lucy Kuptana announced the plan in the N.W.T. Legislature on Thursday, and an official with Housing N.W.T. says implementation is set to begin in the coming months.

"Eliminating smoking in our owned units will have positive health outcomes for our residents and reduce asset damage," Kuptana said during the announcement.

"Smoking will not be permitted in all new buildings and in any new or amended leases for existing public housing and market rentals," Kuptana added, saying Housing N.W.T. will begin working with local housing organizations in N.W.T. to implement the change next week.

According to the most recent data, 28 per cent of N.W.T. residents reported smoking in 2023, substantially higher than the national average.

How the ban will work

Housing N.W.T. operates about 2,500 public housing units across the Northwest Territories, according to the organization's 2023/2024 annual report. Those units are administered by 31 local housing organizations in communities across the territory, which oversee everything from repairs to rent collections.

Kirsten Murphy, a spokesperson for Housing N.W.T., said in an email to CBC, that the N.W.T. is the last jurisdiction in Canada to implement such a ban.

She added the ban will roll out gradually, starting with smoking prohibitions in new tenancy agreements, which will take effect in the next few months.

"The second phase may include a policy-based approach for a blanket smoking prohibition," Murphy said. She added that Housing N.W.T. would consult local housing organizations in N.W.T. before setting a date to begin this phase of the ban.

Murphy said Housing N.W.T. is not planning to implement fines for people who violate the smoking bans. Instead, she said tenants will receive a written warning and a notice of non-compliance. In severe cases, Murphy said Housing N.W.T. may seek eviction.

"Housing N.W.T.'s approach will be to pursue rental order applications as a last resort and in severe cases of non-compliance," she said.

Murphy said though this change will be a challenge for some, not proceeding with the ban would also have negative impacts.

"Steps need to be taken to protect tenants who don't smoke and children who are residing in Housing N.W.T.-owned units," Murphy said. Murphy also said that introducing the smoking ban will reduce fire hazards and maintenance costs for public housing.

Noah Gruben, a public housing tenant in Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. told CBC he supports the plan. A non-smoker with two children, he said it's a step in the right direction.

"They're gonna do good in the long run," Gruben said.

Lisa Thurber, founder of the Tenants Association Northwest Territories, agrees the ban will benefit public health but worries about unintended consequences.

"This is going to be more reasons to evict people," Thurber said.