Image: Keys being turned over for a home / Natee Meepian / Dreamstime

By Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill and Minister of Children and Family Development

OPINION

YOUR PERSPECTIVE: Short-term rental rules coming into effect in British Columbia

Apr 25, 2024 | 8:00 AM

I’ve heard from people who have concerns that they are having trouble finding options for a new home to live in, while thousands of short-term rentals are taking needed long-term homes off the market. That’s why this past fall, our government introduced new legislation to help more people get into homes faster, including new laws around short-term rentals in B.C., and now those regulations are coming into effect.

Starting May 1, 2024, new rules will kick in to make sure that homes that could be long-term rentals for people and their families aren’t being monopolized by speculators using short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. Removing thousands of homes from the market makes it harder for regular folks to find affordable long-term places to live. By limiting short-term rentals, thousands more homes could be rented out or sold to people who live and work in our communities.

Premier Eby and our B.C. government are making sure that homeowners have the choice to operate a short-term rental in a room in their home, or basement suite or even their whole home while they are away, but we’re cracking down on speculators who want to own multiple homes or condos to run “ghost hotels.”

This means that a few things are changing for communities above 10,000 that need more housing. First, if someone wants to rent out their place short-term, it must be their main home. They can only rent out one extra unit on their property, like a basement suite or a small garden cottage. This Principal Residence Requirement will come into effect in more than 60 communities. In fact, 17 additional communities who were previously exempt have chosen to opt-in to the new requirements, going into effect this November.

New regulations will also require hosts and short-term rental platforms to follow guidelines. They’ll have to share data with the government and make sure that the hosts who are renting out their homes are following the rules too. Local governments will be empowered to submit listings that break the rules to platforms using the provincial data portal and have them removed within 5 days.

American sentenced

California man sentenced for trying to smuggle loaded handgun through Fraser Valley port of entry

26m ago

road work

Paving work leads to closures along George Ferguson Way in Abbotsford

4h ago

Homicide in Mission

IHIT called to Mission after 25-year-old dies; suspect in custody

6h ago

Other aspects of the law will be phased in, like the new Provincial Short-Term Rental Compliance Enforcement Unit, which will give further assistance to help investigate instances of non-compliance, apply monetary penalties and request that platforms remove listings.

Our goal is to help turn more short-term rentals back into homes for people who need them. This builds on our government’s Homes for People plan that is taking action from all angles to make sure that everyone in British Columbia has a place to call home. Next time you’re looking for a place to live, hopefully, there will be more options out there for you and your family.

——

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of Fraser Valley Today or Pattison Media.