Smokers who tossed their cigarette butts onto the street because they didn't have an ashtray have had a little crimp put in that excuse thanks to the City of Montreal.
The city started distributing pocket-sized portable ashtrays Wednesday and is making them available free to keep city sidewalks clean. About 100,000 are ready to be given away.
"It's going to become a habit,'' said Marcel Tremblay, Montreal's cleanliness czar.
He and members of the city's Green Team were handing out the little silver and black palm-sized wallets in front of a downtown shopping centre and office tower where many smokers congregate during the lunch hour.
The portable ashtrays, which cost the city about 40 cents each, are washable and reusable. Smokers just tuck their butts in them and empty them the next time they get near a garbage container.
"The more you use it, the more you'll want to use it,'' said Tremblay, who balked when one reporter said smokers she had spoken to had told her they wouldn't use the environmentally friendly device.
"You should say to them, `Do you love your city? You should keep it clean. One of the elements that destroys our city are the butts so we hope you'll change your attitude'.''
While some people strode past the eager crew handing out the ashtrays Wednesday, other people took one and promised to use it.
"I'm not sure it's going to get used for long because because I think this little packet is going to stink in my pocket but for as long as it doesn't cause any odour, I'm going to use it,'' said Maxime Lariviere.
"I'm one of those people who has the attitude to throw (butts) away on the ground so it's good to have it on me.''
Laurence Desgagne took three of the ashtrays.
"I think it's good because people drop (their butts) on the floor and it's dirty,'' she said as she stubbed out her cigarette and put the butt in the portable ashtray.
"If everyone does it, it's going to be more neat in the city.''
Montreal declared war on uncleanliness in the spring and one borough has passed what it says is one of the toughest bylaws in North America against trash and litter.
The city's squad of cleanliness inspectors has also been bolstered and stricter fines have been brought in.
The efforts seem to be paying off in some instances as a number of tourists interviewed during the recent NASCAR weekend remarked on how clean the city was.
