Smoke-Free N.S. registry a breath of clean air for tenants

Smoke-Free Nova Scotia has launched a new online registry to help tenants and landlords butt out.

The new website directs non-smokers to housing where smoking isn’t allowed. It also provides tips for landlords on how to convert their buildings to smoke-free environments.

"If anybody smokes in the building, everybody smokes in the building. There's no effective way to take the toxic chemicals out of the air," said Sharon MacIntosh, president of Smoke-Free Nova Scotia.

It’s welcomed news for condo-owner Noelle David. The health-professional said she would like to see all condominiums go smoke-free.

"When you live in a multi-unit dwelling, you tend to get smoke infiltration through various areas such as ventilation systems or under doors or in hallways," she said.

Smoking can also be an expensive mess for landlords and property managers, like Dan Sampson of Killam Properties.

"When a tenant leaves and they’ve smoked in the unit, particularly for a long period of time, there's special paints that have to put on the walls in order to get rid of the smoking smell. You have to replace carpeting, even down to the appliances," he said.

Smoke-Free Nova Scotia claims 80 per cent of people in the province are non-smokers.