Why Go Smoke-Free > Market Demand

Eighty-five percent of British Columbians don’t smoke, yet there is a severe shortage of smoke-free rental properties in BC. This means there is a significant marketing advantage for landlords who are considering going smoke-free.

There is also significant value in offering smoke-free buildings as an amenity that appeals to the majority of non-smokers. British Columbians are health conscious consumers. They are concerned about the health impacts to themselves and their family of being exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) in their homes. That’s why BC leads the country in smoke-free homes, and four out of five British Columbians do not allow smoking inside their homes.

We commissioned market surveys among renters and housing providers across the province to identify market demand and help develop resources for smoke-free housing. The results confirm that there is a major problem with SHS, and that there is strong demand in BC for smoke-free housing.

Key points concerning Market Demand

Among Renters in BC:

• The majority of renters prefer smoke-free buildings
• The majority of renters don’t smoke, and those that do are taking it outside
• Over one-third of apartment and condominium dwellers are exposed to SHS
• Of renters exposed to SHS, the vast majority do not complain
• Between 50,000 to 100,000 rental dwellers in BC may move because of problems with SHS

Among Apartment Owners/Property Managers in BC:

• Four out of five say there is either a ‘very big’ or ‘some’ market demand for smoke-free housing in BC
• Nearly three quarters expect that the issue of smoke-free housing will become more important in the future
• There is a patchwork of no-smoking policies that exist in residential buildings across the province
  

Among Non-Profit Housing Providers in BC:

• One-quarter of public housing providers ban smoking in the entire building, including units and balconies
• Over two in five are considering adopting a smoke-free policy in some or all of their units in the future
• About three in five receive complaints about SHS on a monthly basis (20%) or less than a monthly basis (40%)