Ontario will soon have the most restrictive tobacco rules in Canada with all flavoured products — even menthol — outlawed.

The provincial government is moving forward with the landmark “Making Healthier Choices Act” and will ban menthol cigarettes and other flavoured tobacco products — including chewing tobacco, “wine-dipped” cigars, and fruity cigarettes.

As well, e-cigarettes will also be outlawed for anyone younger than 19 years old.

Convenience stores, already forbidden from displaying tobacco products or signs, are complaining about even more restrictions. These will include where e-cigarettes can be sold and how they’re promoted. Repeat scofflaws could face fines of up to $300,000.

Canada’s leading tobacco company supports Ontario’s plan to ban flavoured tobacco, but is opposed to menthol being included. Nadine Bernard, a spokesperson for Imperial Tobacco, says menthol smokers — about 5 per cent of the tobacco market, and typically over 30 years old — will resort to the black market.

According to Statistics Canada, about 4 per cent of 114,000 students are regular smokers and 13.6 years is the average age for smoking a whole cigarette.

Eight per cent of students — or 205,000 — have tried a flavoured tobacco product in the last month. Two per cent of students in grades 6 to 9 have smoked a menthol cigarette in the last month.

Nova Scotia recently introduced legislation along the same lines as Ontario’s.

It would be illegal to sell flavoured tobacco, although the provincial government wants Ottawa to regulate e-cigarettes and the flavoured juice they contain.

The ban would also include flavoured rolling papers and tobacco products that are not smoked, such as chewing tobacco and snuff. It does not include port, rum, wine and whiskey-flavoured cigars that weigh five grams or more.

The legislation would come into effect May 31, if passed.

The major non-tobacco aspect of Ontario’s Making Healthier Choices Act is that all fast-food restaurant chains with more than 20 outlets — like McDonald’s or Subway — will be forced to display the calorie count for everything on the menu.

Government inspectors will ensure the information is clearly posted and fast-food operators who do not comply will face $500-per-day fines for the first offence and $1,000 daily levies for subsequent breaches.