SFOA Smoke-Free Ontario Act Sign Requirements — No Smoking & Cannabis Signs

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 26, Sched. 3 (SFOA) is one of the strictest anti-smoking laws in Canada, and it requires extensive signage at every workplace, public space, and commercial property in Ontario. Since the legalization of cannabis under the Cannabis Act, S.C. 2018, c. 16, the signage requirements have expanded to cover smoking, vaping, and cannabis use. Fines for missing or inadequate SFOA signs reach $100,000 for corporations on first offence.

This guide covers every SFOA signage requirement, including specifications, placement rules, and the specific signs needed for different types of businesses and properties.

What the SFOA Prohibits

Under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017, Part III, it is prohibited to smoke, hold lighted tobacco, use an electronic cigarette (vape), or use cannabis (smoked, vaped, or heated) in the following locations:

• All enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places
• Within 9 metres of any entrance or exit of an enclosed workplace or public place
• All outdoor patios of restaurants and bars
• All children's playgrounds and public areas within 20 metres of a playground
• All publicly owned sporting and recreational areas
• Community recreation centres, arenas, and pools
• Hospital grounds and grounds of health care facilities
• School grounds (elementary and secondary) and within 20 metres of school property lines
• College and university grounds
• Child care centres and within 20 metres of their property lines
• Common areas of condominiums, apartment buildings, and multi-unit dwellings (if owner/board has established this policy)
• All Ontario government properties
• Sheltered bus stops, transit stations, and platforms

Required SFOA Signs

Entrance Signs (Section 13)

Under SFOA Section 13 and O. Reg. 268/18, the following signs must be posted:

• "No Smoking" sign: At every entrance to an enclosed workplace or public place
• "No Vaping" sign: At every entrance (same locations as No Smoking)
• "No Cannabis" sign: At every entrance where cannabis use is additionally prohibited
• Combined signs: A single sign combining all three prohibitions is acceptable if it meets all individual requirements

Sign Specifications (O. Reg. 268/18)

• International symbol: Must include the international "No Smoking" symbol (cigarette in a red circle with diagonal line)
• Minimum size: Symbol must be at least 100 mm in diameter
• Colour: Red prohibition circle and diagonal line on white background
• Text: The words "No Smoking" must appear alongside the symbol in English and, where required by municipal policy, in French
• Vaping symbol: Must include a "No E-cigarettes" or "No Vaping" symbol — a vaping device in a red circle with diagonal line
• Cannabis symbol: Must include a "No Cannabis" symbol where cannabis prohibition applies
• Durability: Signs must be weather-resistant for outdoor posting

9-Metre Zone Signs

• Signs or markings indicating the 9-metre smoke-free zone around entrances and exits
• Can be pavement markings, bollard signs, or posted signs at the 9-metre boundary
• Must indicate that smoking, vaping, and cannabis use are prohibited within the zone

Industry-Specific SFOA Sign Requirements

Restaurants and Bars

• No Smoking/No Vaping signs at every entrance and on/near the outdoor patio
• "Smoke-Free Patio" sign prominently displayed on all outdoor dining areas
• Hookah/shisha lounges: PROHIBITED in Ontario — any signage suggesting otherwise violates the Act

Hotels and Accommodations

• No Smoking signs in all common areas, lobbies, hallways, and stairwells
• Individual guest rooms may be designated smoking or non-smoking, but common areas must be smoke-free
• Clear signage identifying designated smoking rooms (if any) and the hotel's smoking policy

Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

• No Smoking signs in all common areas: lobbies, hallways, laundry rooms, parking garages, stairwells, party rooms
• If the condo board or landlord has enacted a smoke-free policy for individual units, signage must indicate this policy
• Signs at building entrances indicating the smoke-free zone extends 9 metres from all entrances

Workplaces and Offices

• No Smoking/No Vaping signs at every entrance to the building
• "Smoking is Prohibited in this Workplace" sign posted conspicuously in the workplace
• If a designated smoking area (DSA) exists outdoors, it must be beyond 9 metres from any entrance and marked with appropriate signage

Healthcare Facilities

• Comprehensive smoke-free campus signs at all property entrances
• "This is a Smoke-Free Property" signs throughout the grounds
• Designated smoking areas (if any) must be beyond the property line — hospitals cannot have DSAs on their grounds

Cannabis-Specific Signage Requirements

Since the Cannabis Act came into force on October 17, 2018, and the Ontario amendments under O. Reg. 268/18:

• Cannabis smoking, vaping, and use is prohibited everywhere tobacco smoking is prohibited, plus additional locations
• Schools and daycares: Cannabis prohibited within 20 metres of property lines (vs. 9 metres for tobacco at regular businesses)
• Vehicles: "No Cannabis Use in Vehicle" signage recommended for commercial fleet vehicles and taxis
• Licensed cannabis retail stores: Must comply with Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) signage requirements in addition to SFOA — including "No Persons Under 19" signs

Penalties for SFOA Sign Non-Compliance

Under SFOA Sections 14-16:

• Employer/occupier failing to post required signs: Fine up to $100,000 (corporation) or $10,000 (individual) on first offence
• Repeat offences: Fines up to $300,000 (corporation) or $25,000 (individual)
• Individual smoking in a prohibited area: Fine of $1,000 on first offence, $5,000 on subsequent offences
• Enforcement: Public health inspectors, municipal by-law officers, and police can all enforce the SFOA
• Inspection powers: Inspectors can enter any workplace or public place without a warrant to verify signage compliance