Judge orders B.C. man to stop smoking
while appealing condo's ban
CTV News
Tamsyn Burgmann, The Canadian Press
26 January 2016
A "life-long smoker" has been ordered to butt out inside his Langley,
B.C., apartment while he waits to challenge his condo corporation with
a human rights complaint.
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has concluded that Paul Aradi
must follow a no-smoking bylaw in his building, despite having
difficulty standing and walking.
In a ruling posted online Tuesday, Judge Wendy Harris said she will not
allow the 70-year-old to continue disregarding the bylaw until the
Human Rights Tribunal holds a hearing.
Aradi's rights complaint asks the corporation to accommodate his
disability, which he said affects his ability to smoke his cigarettes
outside. It's expected the hearing will be held in July, although it
has not been formally scheduled.
"That would be approximately six months away from now, which is a
significant period for those owners who have expressed concerns about
the smell of cigarettes and the effects of second-hand smoke on their
health and the use and enjoyment of their property," Harris wrote.
"I reject the respondent's contention that their concerns are
exaggerated or ideologically based."
The Canadian Forces veteran purchases his condo in 2002, seven years
before the corporation prohibited smoking inside individual units. The
corporation did not attempt to enforce the bylaw until December 2013,
after other residents began complaining.
Aradi began accumulating fines, but did not pay the $2,300.
He instead filed short, hand-written responses.
Aradi asserted the bylaw is discriminatory in creating two classes of
citizens, smokers and non-smokers. He also accused the corporation of
trying to force him to move because he had complained about certain
bills from the corporation.
In affidavits filed in the case, the corporation's secretary states
that at least five owners made complaints, ranging from health risks of
second-hand smoke to fire risks, foul odour and negative effect on
property values.
In her ruling, the judge found that the smoking by-law was valid and
residents have a "reasonable expectation" that it will be consistently
enforced.
Harris also found that Aradi did not file his human rights complaint
until more than a year after he was first fined.
She accepted he has an addiction to smoking and has mobility
limitations. But she also found evidence -- including TV news footage
-- that the man has been able to walk a relatively short distance from
his unit to smoke.
He can also drive his car to another location where smoking is
permitted, Harris said.
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