- Support for rent control is strongest in Atlantic Canada (73%) and Ontario (71%) and is lowest in Quebec (54%).
- Those who are personally unable to find an affordable place to live, or know somebody who is are significantly more likely to support rent control.
July 13, 2023
Given the importance of access to affordable housing in Canada, we wanted to understand Canadians’ level of support for rent control. Results show that across the country there is widespread support of the idea, with two thirds of the population being supportive. This level of support includes 18% who support rent controls that are already in place where they live, and 47% who support the idea of rent control, and would like it introduced. Two in ten were unsure or wanted more information, and just 14% were opposed to the idea. Across Canada, support for rent control was lowest in Quebec (54%) while New Brunswick (77%), Nova Scotia (76%), and Ontario (71%) hold the strongest support.
Support for rent control was consistent across age groups and gender, although support was noticeably lower among homeowners (58%) compared to renters (81%). “Given how rents continue to rise across the country, it is not much of a surprise to see high public demand for rent control in Canada,” says Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner of Narrative Research, “though it’s interesting to see how personal situations significantly affect views on the topic.”
We also compared findings with data we collected on housing affordability. What we found was a direct correlation between awareness of somebody currently unable to find affordable housing and support for rent control. The vast majority of those personally unable to find affordable housing (representing 13% of Canadians) were likely to support rent control. Three quarters of those who know of somebody unable to find affordable housing (including 38% of the population) supported rent control, and just half of those who do not know somebody unable to find affordable housing (representing 55% of the population) supported rent control. Chapman notes:
“This correlation is not surprising given that personal experiences inform our support and opposition to certain social issues. If more people struggle to find affordable housing, we can expect to see support for rent control grow at a similar rate.”
Results are from a survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted online between June 6th and June 8th with 1,234 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2016 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution. As a non-probability sample a margin of error is not applied.
The questions asked were:
Do you know of anybody currently unable to find an affordable place to live? (Select all that apply)
– Me
– Somebody I know
– No (Exclusive)
Rent control is when government regulates the amounts charged for rented housing. Having read this definition, do you believe there should be rent control where you live?
– Yes, already in place
– Yes, should be introduced
– No
– Unsure / Would need more information
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493-3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com
Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a leading public opinion and market research company headquartered in Canada. The company is certified as a WBE (Women Business Enterprise). As a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, Narrative Research is dedicated to providing clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group (https://logitgroup.com/) is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies across an array of methodologies, and is independent, experienced and quality-oriented.
Follow us on Twitter at @EveryNarrative and @LogitGroup
