the bc experience october, 2007. approach in bc reduce exposure for residents in muds educate...
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The BC Experience October, 2007
Approach in BC • Reduce exposure for residents in MUDs• Educate Housing Providers – it’s legal • Increase VOLUNTARY smoke-free policies• Toxicity of the smoke – not the person who smokes
What have we done?• Develop Relationships & Partnership
• Be Informed: Gather Data
• Be Prepared: Develop Resources
• Educated Others
• Recommended Policy Guidelines
• Identified Opportunities
• Sought Funding
Develop Relationships• Key players - advice and challenges
• Focused on non-profit housing association (BCNPHA)
• Partnered with BCNPHA to educate members across province
Partners
Other partners • NSRA
• CCTC
• Canadian Smoke-free Housing Coalition
Gather Data• Collect relevant
demographics
• Identify business case
• Identify extent of problem
• Identify smoke-free places
– 60% households rent in some areas
– 86% of BCers are smoke-free
– Untapped market– Reduced cleaning costs – Fewer complaints
– 30% of all renters have experienced SHS in BC
– Global Agencies– Envy – Condo– Westin / Marriott Hotels
Develop Resources• Fact Sheets • Legal precedents & arbitration successes• Legality of smoke-free policies
Clean Air Coalition of BC website
www.cleanaircoalitionbc.com
Educated Others• Workshops - public/private housing
• Industry forums & conventions
• Presentations at BCNPHA annual
• Distributed educational letters through partner’s distribution systems
• Prepared articles
Educate & Raise Awareness• Assisted residents with SHS
problems
• Lobbied Greater Vancouver Housing Corporation
• Requested intervener status in human rights tribunal case
Lobby for Policy Guidelines• Lobbied Residential Tenancy Branch
to enhance their Policy Guideline on ‘Quiet Enjoyment’ (e.g. Noise)
• Wrote Minister of Housing
Opportunities• Landlords and the legal authority
• Perception smoking is legal – SHS nuisance
• Belief that the home is the castle
Opportunities• Grandfathering clauses
• Economic argument
• Resources – money and time
• Learn from lessons in the past
National Website
www.smokefreehousing.ca
Next steps in BC• Received funding to implement Smoke-free
Housing – aged 19 to 29
Next steps in BCPrimary Components include (con’t)
– Smoke-Free Housing Pilot Project• Recruit Participants• Develop Strategic Plan for implementing Smoke-Free Policy• Implement Smoke-Free Policy• Track Progress and Lessons Learned
– Community Forums• Develop workshops• Recruit participants from housing industry• Implement forums• Identify partnership opportunities• Identify interested participants for Pilot Project
Next steps in BC• Received funding to implement Smoke-free
Housing – aged 19 to 29• Maine video
