Pubdate: Fri, 16 Feb 2018 Source: Metro (Calgary, CN AB) Copyright: 2018 Metro Canada Contact: http://www.metronews.ca/Calgary Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4471 Author: Helen Pike Page: 6 STIRRING POT IN CALGARY Survey suggests renters more likely to smoke marijuana An advocacy group for renters say a city survey is needlessly pitting homeowners and landlords against a vulnerable community. This week, the City of Calgary put out their citizen cannabis survey, which included data about how Calgarians feel about impending legalization along with some pointed policy questions to help the city as they draft new rules for weed. The survey found that renters are more likely to currently smoke marijuana at 32 per cent when compared to 12 per cent homeowners reporting they currently puff. When it comes to home growing, the city found that of those who were likely to grow marijuana plants inside their home 68 per cent of those were living in rented town homes or apartments. In Calgary particularly, the term renter has become a dirty word - especially when it comes to the politics of putting in secondary suites. The divisive term is often in the middle of council discussions. Most recently, during a city discussion on the citizen satisfaction survey, Coun. Diane Colley-Urquhart asked if the city was checking if the millennials they surveyed were paying taxes. Coun. Druh Farrell was quick to point out she feels renters pay their share through their monthly lease. Donna Clarke, one of the founding members of the Renters Action Movement, thinks the city could be more tactful to help smooth the divisive nature of the renter versus home owner debate. "I would just question the rationale of the necessity of dividing homeowners and renters, I just don't see the point," Clarke said. "It seems to be perpetuating a negative image of renters that we have been fighting in Calgary for a long time." According to the city, this kind of data is typical and they collect demographics like age, income, education, and the person's city quadrant - among other personal stats. "Legalized cannabis will have potentially different implications for owners and renters, depending on their situation," read a city statement. "Having numerous demographics represented in our survey was essential for us to ensure that The City's response to recreational cannabis reflects Calgarians' values." In the report, the city said if they had a significant and statistical difference to show, like the differences between renters and homeowners, they publicize them. The city's conducted a telephone survey with a randomly-selected sample of 1,002 Calgarians between Nov. 6 and 19. There's a margin of error at the 95 per cent confidence level plus or minus 3.1 per cent. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt