1867 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Allow micro-condos (under 400 sq. ft.) unsuitable for long-term rentals in appropriately zoned downtown tourism areas to offer short-term rentals: They are not taking away affordable or appropriate housing.

But hold on, isn’t the City’s MMHI all about these small units? And what about the provincial SMUH or whatever it’s called, allowing up to four units on a SFD lot? These are not going to be large units, the way the program is described with a primary residence and three suites.

[spanky123]

But hold on, isn’t the City’s MMHI all about these small units? And what about the provincial SMUH or whatever it’s called, allowing up to four units on a SFD lot? These are not going to be large units, the way the program is described with a primary residence and three suites.

 

The 4/6 unit proposals that I have seen go through as generally for 800-900 sq ft townhome ish developments where the developer can still get $1M a unit in decent neighbourhoods.

[Mike K.]

Can you link to a 4-unit MMHI or SMUH (Bill 44) project that I can reference, that went through locally? I’d be curious to see the layouts.

[Victoria Watcher]

Since new restrictions on short-term rentals were put in place last May, owners of 1,500 units throughout the province have been informed that they are not in compliance, B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says.

 

Most owners immediately moved into compliance once reached by the province’s 11-person enforcement team, but 75 cases remain under investigation and could result in fines of up to $5,000 per day if they are deemed to be contravening the rules, Kahlon said.

 

Under the new regulations, owners can only rent out their primary residence or a unit on that property, such as a laneway house or secondary suite. They are required to register with their local municipality and maintain a valid business licence.

 

About 1,300 of the 1,500 non-compliant cases stemmed from public complaints, Kahlon said.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...launch-10032911

[Victoria Watcher]

The City of Montreal is tightening the rules on short-term rentals arranged through companies like Airbnb as it tries to keep rising rents in check.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said Thursday the regulations introduced by the Quebec government aren't working. The city is moving to therefore only allow short-term rentals between June 10 and Sept. 10 at primary residences across the city.

The rest of the year, short-term rentals will be allowed exclusively in properly registered units within zones permitted by the city.


https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7445844



As it stands, more than half of roughly 4,000 units available on the short-term rental market are illegal, according to the city. The changes could therefore free up 2,000 units to the long-term rental market, the city said.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 February 2025 - 11:12 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Amala is a property management company that provides cleaning, client communication and other tasks for owners of about 100 units in downtown Victoria. It also runs Air Lobby, a physical location on Pandora Avenue, where guests staying in those units can store luggage and bikes or pick up keys.

 

https://vancouversun...gainst-province

 

 

 

$3,500/Monthly

 

 

B 556 Pandora Ave
Victoria, British Columbia V8W1N7

 

https://www.realtor....ctoria-downtown

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 February 2025 - 03:52 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

After opting in, Tofino council asks staff to review opting out of new B.C. short-term rental rules next year

 

 

 

 

After much debate, District of Tofino council has asked staff to look into potentially opting out of B.C.’s new-short term rental rules, after the community opted in to the regulations last year.

 

In March 2024, the district made headlines for being the first municipality to opt in to B.C.’s new short-term accommodations act, despite not being required to do so.

 

Communities were exempt if they were so-called “resort areas,” or if they were municipalities with populations under 10,000 residents and not within 15 kilometres of a larger municipality. 

 

While these communities were exempt, they could opt in to the new short-term rental requirements if they chose to, which Tofino did so last year.

 

But, at a council meeting on March 11, council asked staff to “prepare a consultation and engagement plan regarding opting out of the principal residence requirement under Bill 35 in 2026 and report back to Council prior to February 1, 2026.”

 

 

 

 

[...]

 

 

 

The goal of the new legislation was to free up properties for long-term rental housing, and it’s a motivation that Mayor Dan Law said he supports.

 

“The idea is that houses are primarily for living and the problem in Tofino is that’s not the case,” he said at the council meeting.

 

“Investment homes, we see over and over – hundreds, 100, 150 anyway – are primarily to make money, and that is the epitome of the financialization and commercialization of housing, that’s what it is,” he said.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 March 2025 - 03:47 AM.

[Mike K.]

No mention of-why-?

[Victoria Watcher]

It's all very odd, right?

 

The only reason Tofino is a viable, fairly populous town is due to tourism.   Why bite the the hand that feeds?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 26 March 2025 - 06:22 AM.

[Mike K.]

I can tell you, and I’m sure you already know, that the new rules have made a massive dent in communities on the Island.

But let’s be honest about it. The retirees who are not economically tethered to a town don’t mind less tourists, I’m sure.

[Mike K.]

Here are the regs in Tofino. I don’t know if they’re blanket regulations that apply in every community:

Section 7.2 of the Business Licence Regulation Bylaw also establishes specific requirements for short-term rental operations, including but not limited to:

A maximum of 3 bedrooms for guests
No more than 6 overnight guests at one time, including children and visitors
A Permanent Resident must live at the premises
A Permanent Resident or licenced property manager must, at any time guests are staying on the premises, be present in Tofino and available to respond to guests or law enforcement within 2 hours

- https://tofino.ca/sh...al-regulations/

[dasmo]

Lame and damaging. I can’t find a house so two families can go because we are 8.that’s thousands not going into an economy that’s no longer based on fishing and logging.

[Mike K.]

Correct. We've forgone a couple of trips already, after finding out what you get at old motels for very, very high prices. It's the low point of the trip.

[dasmo]

There are unhappy people with the mayor. People live there BECASUSE of the short-term rentals and tourism. Remove the industry, then I guess there won't be a housing shortage. But if you believe the tinfoil hats, that IS the plan. 

Edited by dasmo, 26 March 2025 - 02:02 PM.

[Mike K.]

The May 1 deadline is looming for operators of short-term rentals across B.C. to register with the province and pay an annual fee.

But some short-term rental owners say they have been waiting more than a month for their registration applications to be processed and worry what will happen if they don’t get a provincial registration number by the deadline.

“I’m in limbo. I don’t know anything about the delays, but I see people talking about them (online) everywhere,” said Colin Ratushniak, who says he has been waiting about five weeks to have his one-bedroom downtown Vancouver condo registered with the province.

Online forums suggest short-term rental owners have had mixed experiences with the provincial registry: Some say the turnaround time has been a week or two, while others say it’s taken much longer.

- https://vancouversun...stered-with-b-c

14,000 applications have been submitted to the province.

[Victoria Watcher]

One year after B.C.'s short-term rental crackdown, has it made housing cheaper?

Marv Gandall says living in one of Victoria's largest residential buildings a year ago meant a parade of people with suitcases, stuffed visitors parking and slow elevators.


https://www.timescol...heaper-10566698

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 April 2025 - 12:42 PM.

[Mike K.]

Yup. The experience for residents in these buildings was awful. Living next to a unit was even worse.

This was a badly bungled experiment.

[Victoria Watcher]

MONTREAL — A torrent of fraud on sites like Airbnb and a chronic housing crunch are the main reasons behind Montreal’s decision to impose among the strictest short-term rental laws in the world, according to city officials.

 

A Montreal bylaw passed in March has made it illegal to list properties on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo for less than 31 days. The exception: a period between June 10 and September 10, during which Montrealers are only allowed to rent their primary residences for short-term stays. Any individual renting beyond this period, or found to be renting properties other than their primary residence, is subject to fines of up to $2,000.

 

 

https://thelogic.co/...t-term-rentals/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 May 2025 - 08:15 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

An Airbnb host says he’ll lose around $47,000 in income after the company began cancelling thousands of summer reservations due to a dispute with B.C.’s short-term rental registration.

 

Richard Green’s plans for another successful year hosting on Airbnb may have come to a halt. The Saanich man says he’s caught in the crossfire of a dispute between the company and the province.

 

“All these people have messages that are going to be coming here, and they’re all wondering what they’re going to do,” said Green.

 

 

 

[...]

 

 

 

Green says that when he tried to sign up with the province, it required a permit from his municipality. However, the District of Saanich doesn’t permit short-term rentals (STRs).

 

The latest data from Inside Airbnb estimates there are 621 listings in the district, and only 35 are licensed.

 

 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...ration-1261268/

 

 

 

 

So Saanich does not allow STRs, but there are 621 listings.

 

 

 

 

Saanich, BC – Effective May 1, 2024, the Province is implementing new rules for areas that allow short-term rentals. These changes will not affect Saanich.

Short-term rentals (STRs) are not permitted, in any zone, per Zoning Bylaw 8200. This aligns with Saanich’s priority to support long-term rental housing in our community.

https://www.saanich....t-affected.html

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 June 2025 - 05:52 AM.

[dasmo]

And then they can have a tourism industry crisis to solve next!