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WANTED 20 PEOPLE WANTEDFOR A FREE HEARINGAID TRIAL 25+ Years Experience 100% Canadian Made Cabinetry Quality Craftsmanship • Custom Made Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinetry • Closet Systems • Entertainment Units • Basement Renovations • Full Renovations & More! Visit Our 6,000 sq.ft. Design Centre: Units 2-3, 333 Wyecroft Rd.,Oakville 905.844.3332 | www.aromakitchens.ca • info@aromakitchens.ca Create Your Dream Look Oakville stores now need a licence to sell vaping products and e-cigarettes. Town council voted unanimously to pass a by- law amendment requiring those who sell vaping prod- ucts and e-cigarettes to ap- ply for a tobacco/e-ciga- rette retailer licence from the Town. The amendment went into effect March 1. Town staff said any per- son applying for a tobacco/ e-cigarette retailer licence will be required to comply with zoning and insurance requirements, pass a health inspection, provide business documents and confirm compliance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act (SFOA). They went on to note the new licensing requirement will allow the town to en- sure SFOA requirements are tracked and complied with and includes a pro- gressive enforcement re- gime that can result in the revocation of a tobacco/e- cigarette retail licence if the retailer fails to comply with the SFOA. The SFOA forbids the sale of e-cigarette and vap- ing products to customers under the age of 19. The act also has secure storage and signage re- quirements for these prod- ucts. "A new licensing catego- ry for e-cigarette and va- pour product retailers will assist the town and Halton Region Public Health to more effectively co-ordi- nate enforcement and track noncompliance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act," said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. "Retailers not comply- ing with the act will have their licence suspended on a second violation and re- voked on a third. This will help provide adequate town oversight of this business class." Burton said getting cer- tain businesses that sell vaping products to comply with the SFOA has been a long-standing issue in the community. Ward 5 Coun. Jeff Knoll called on residents who are aware of a business that is selling e-cigarette or vap- ing products to children to call 311 so the region can in- vestigate. He said he wel- comes the new licensing re- quirement. "We are finally at a point where the fines these oper- ations are paying are no longer just the cost of doing business, which unfortu- nately, has been the case until recently," said Knoll. "This will stop now thanks to this law. The pro- gressive discipline that will be imposed on the licensees should be enough to con- vince them that following the Smoke-Free Ontario Act laws is not just the law, but now the business." Town staff said under the bylaw amendment, the same fee structure for stores selling tobacco goods will be applied for re- tailers selling vaping prod- ucts. Existing and new busi- nesses selling e-cigarettes and other vaping products will be required to pay a $191 licence fee, and a $191 annual renewal fee. In a report to council, Selena Campbell, the town's manager of munici- pal enforcement, said the li- censing requirement sup- ports health and safety, consumer protection and nuisance control for resi- dents. Town staff pointed out that while cities like Toron- to, Hamilton and London already have bylaws requir- ing licences for businesses selling vaping products, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills, Mississauga and Brampton have not ap- proved such licensing at this time. Council stopped short on passing minimum sepa- ration distance regula- tions, which would require a business that sells vap- ing/e-cigarette products to be a certain distance away certain properties, like schools. Town staff determined such regulations would not address sales of these prod- ucts to minors. On June 24, 2019 council approved an amendment to its parks bylaw to prohibit vaping and cannabis use anywhere smoking is pro- hibited within parks. LICENCE NOW REQUIRED TO SELL VAPING PRODUCTS Local stores are now required to have a licence to sell vaping products. Metroland file photo DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com NEWS