VRMA Administrator
British Columbia, Canada, is proposing new rules to regulate short-term rentals (STRs), including requiring hosts to register with the province, giving municipalities the ability to raise fines for those that don’t, and creating a team to enforce the proposed legislation. The rules will be effective next spring if passed. The proposed legislation will require STR owners to register with the province. Those addresses will be cross-referenced with the databases the province now has on principal residences, which were created as part of the province’s vacant-tax policy. Platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO will be required to take down any listing that can’t be confirmed as legal, instead of the current system where cities have to undertake investigations and court actions. The fines cities can charge will be increased from C$1,000 to C$3,000 a day. Hosts in any city with more than 10,000 in population will only be able to rent out their principal residence if they have an extra room or are away temporarily. Unless it’s banned in a particular municipality, the owner may also rent out one other unit, such as a basement suite or laneway house.
Toronto Globe and Mail (10/16/23) Frances Bula
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