Building butts out

There were few complaints from residents of a local retirement home about the building becoming smoke-free July 1.

Suomi Koti of Thunder Bay Inc. is now a non-smoking residence. Of the 60 apartments, only seven had tenants that smoked, so board of directors’ secretary Alvin Pelto said overall the policy has been well-received.

“There has been a little bit of muttering possibly from the smokers that maybe it’s overkill since there are only seven units where there are smokers and there may be a little bit more once the weather turns colder,” he said.

However, the policy does allow the existing residents who smoke to continue smoking in their apartments as long as they live in the building.

“Anybody who moves in after July 1, 2011, will be required to sign a lease addendum indicating they are aware of the no-smoking policy and they will not be allowed to smoke within their own units,” said Pelto. “They will have to use the designated smoking area outside of the building.”

Suomi Koti joins a handful of other homes in the city with a no-smoking policy and Pelto said they began this process more than a year ago.

It began with complaints from some of the non-smoking residents that they believed secondhand smoke was seeping into their apartments.

So the board formed a smoke-free committee, conducted resident surveys and sought membership approval at their annual general meeting last fall.

“Once we go their approval … we went full steam ahead,” Pelto said.

Suomi Koti, located on County Boulevard, is governed and funded by the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board.