Christmas in Montreal is about to get a whole lot less cozy as the city’s ban on wood-burning appliances will come into effect on October 1.
Two decades after the heating systems regained popularity in the aftermath of the crippling 1998 ice storm, the bylaw concerns all solid fuel-burning devices in all 19 boroughs of Montreal.
The new law, originally passed in 2015, had began to diminish the use of solid fuel-burning devices only during smog warnings with a goal of completely eradicating the appliances by October 1, 2018.
The soon-to-be-banned appliances include stoves and prefabricated or conventional fireplaces designed to burn wood logs or other solid materials (including ecological logs).
Electric appliances that burn propane/natural gas or pellets will continue to be authorized, according to the Ville de Montreal website.
Solid-fuel-burning appliances or fireplaces that emit no more than 2.5 grams per hour of fine particles into the atmosphere will also be allowed.
At 39 percent, wood burning is of the main causes of wintertime smog, just behind transportation emission. Along with contributing to air pollution, burning wood affects asthma, childhood bronchitis and lung cancer.
People who violate the new bylaw will be liable to fines as overseen by Montreal’s Service de l’environnement. First offenders could face fines from $100 to $500 and second and subsequent offenders’ fines range from $1,000 to $4,000.
Additionally, the new rules don’t apply to wood-burning appliances that cook food for commercial purposes, such as the city’s renowned bagel shops or wood-burning pizza ovens.
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