EDITORIAL – Short-term rentals bill won’t fix housing but it will help

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

THE HOUSING SHORTAGE will become a little less serious after the provincial government introduced new legislation on short-term rentals yesterday (Monday).

According to Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, there are currently 28,000 daily active short-term rental listings in B.C., up 20 per cent from a year ago. More than 16,000 entire homes are being listed as short-term rentals for most of the calendar year.

Airbnb Canada says that’s just a fraction of overall rental units and won’t alleviate housing concerns. Instead, it says, travel will become more expensive.

It’s complicated legislation but one of the keys is that it will restrict short-term rentals to only principal residences in cities with populations of 10,000 or more. Secondary suites and carriage houses in such properties may be rented short-term.

A host and platform registry will be established by late next year. Despite what Airbnb says, the changes will return thousands of homes to the market over the next few years, the government says.

Reaction from municipal leaders has been positive. Certainly, it will make a difference in Kamloops. Take a look at short-term rental listings and there are dozens and dozens of places available. There are condos, suites, carriage houses and entire houses. A four-bedroom home lists for $188 a night. A suite rents for $115 a night.

And a smaller home downtown is only $107 a night and is described as ideal for a couple or small family. Many such listings will likely be captured by the restrictions.

The NDP, however, missed an opportunity to fix another big problem with short-term vacation rentals — negative impacts on neighbourhoods in rural communities. Houses located near water are especially attractive for weekend or week-long partiers, and the noise and parking become an issue for those living nearby.

The new policies, sadly, don’t apply to regional districts so will do nothing about that problem.
Overall, though, the bill is good news for housing.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.