By Darryl Greer
The provincewide registry goals to step up enforcement in opposition to operators that don’t adjust to short-term rental rules, Kahlon mentioned throughout a information convention on Monday.
“We imagine houses are for folks and never for hypothesis, and this registry will permit us to take the enforcement to the following step,” he mentioned.
Kahlon mentioned all short-term rental operators on platforms resembling Airbnb and Vrbo should apply for a registration quantity to be displayed on all on-line listings by Could 1, and hosts who fail to conform can have their listings taken down beginning June 1.
There will even be annual registration charges, starting from $100 for hosts who stay on the property, $450 for individuals who stay elsewhere, and $600 for so-called strata accommodations.
He mentioned rents have come down within the province and extra long-term leases have develop into accessible.
Considerations about impacts on tourism resulting from a short-term rental crackdown had been overblown, the minister mentioned.
“Folks nonetheless wish to go to B.C. Folks nonetheless wish to stay in B.C.,” he mentioned.
Kahlon mentioned that the province is giving a 50% low cost to operators who enroll by Feb. 28, and a 25% low cost in the event that they register by March 31.
The ministry mentioned the provincial registry comes on prime of short-term rental guidelines set out by municipalities, together with assembly enterprise licence necessities.
Kahlon mentioned the province’s registry information might be shared with the finance ministry and native governments, to “increase the extent of enforcement” in opposition to homeowners who break guidelines on short-term leases.
Vancouver Metropolis Coun. Lenny Zhou instructed the information convention the registry is a “welcome step” as “housing affordability continues to be a prime precedence” for town.
Zhou mentioned housing is among the “most urgent points” going through communities immediately, calling the registry a “step ahead in making certain that houses stay accessible for individuals who stay and work in our metropolis.”
He mentioned short-term leases supplied on platforms resembling Airbnb and Vrbo fill a task in addressing resort room shortages, however he mentioned it was “equally necessary” to steadiness these wants with residential housing.
“For too lengthy, we’ve struggled to handle the challenges posed by non-compliant operators within the short-term rental market,” Zhou mentioned. “This (has) made it troublesome to make sure that housing stays accessible for individuals who wish to name Vancouver dwelling.”
He mentioned the brand new provincial registry will assist goal “unhealthy actors extra successfully.”
On the identical time, Zhou mentioned it encourages extra Vancouver owners to think about providing long-term leases, easing the strain on our housing market.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 20, 2025.
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Final modified: January 20, 2025