Most Canadians support no pet policies in rental housing: poll

Should landlords have the right to ban pets? A new poll suggests most Canadians believe property owners should be able to refuse tenants who own pets.

A new poll from the Angus Reid Institute suggests that most Canadians are in favor of landlords having the right to exclude renters if they own a pet.

Animal activists across the country have been pushing for added protections that would bar landlords from discriminating against pet owners, but the survey found six-in-10 people believe property owners should be allowed to set their own rules.

David Hutniak, CEO of Landlord B.C., said the protections would be an overreach.“We are responsible to deliver safe and secure rental housing,” said CEO of Landlord B.C David Hutniack who adds,

“A blanket pet policy would create huge issues.”

But nearly 50 per cent of renters disagree, according to Angus Reid’s findings.

“I don’t think so. Ash is my baby and you wouldn’t say to someone that they couldn’t live somewhere because they have a baby,” said dog owner Katie Nash, who adds she is worried about moving out of her apartment for fears that she won’t find a new place to rent.

Eliot Galan, co-founder and organizer of Pet’s OK B.C thinks landlord’s attitudes towards pets needs to change.

“There’s no evidence to suggest that pets are more likely to cause damage than with tenants without pets,” he said.

Galan suggests that landlords should consider pets as long as the pet does not provoke allergies in any other residents or become too noisy or aggressive.

Last year his organization petitioned the B.C government to end No Pet policies in the province.

The petition has garnered more than 64,000 signatures.

So far the BC NDP has remained mum as to if pet polices will be put on their agenda.

Angus Reid’s survey was conducted online from Dec. 7-14 among a randomized sample of 5,412 Canadians. Polls of that size carry a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Scott Hurst