B.C. launches short-term rental registry with annual fees to rein in ‘speculators’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/01/2025 (323 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER – British Columbia is launching a registry for short-term rentals to further crack down on “speculators” operating illegally, said Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon.

The provincewide registry aims to step up enforcement against operators that don’t comply with short-term rental regulations, Kahlon said during a news conference on Monday.

“We believe homes are for people and not for speculation, and this registry will allow us to take the enforcement to the next step,” he said.

Kahlon said all short-term rental operators on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo must apply for a registration number to be displayed on all online listings by May 1, and hosts who fail to comply will have their listings taken down starting June 1.

There will also be annual registration fees, ranging from $100 for hosts who live on the property, $450 for those who live elsewhere, and $600 for so-called strata hotels.

He said rents have come down in the province and more long-term rentals have become available.

Concerns about impacts on tourism due to a short-term rental crackdown were overblown, the minister said.

“People still want to visit B.C. People still want to live in B.C.,” he said.

Kahlon said that the province is giving a 50 per cent discount to operators who sign up by Feb. 28, and a 25 per cent discount if they register by March 31.

The ministry said the provincial registry comes on top of short-term rental rules set out by municipalities, including meeting business licence requirements.

Kahlon said the province’s registry data will be shared with the finance ministry and local governments, to “raise the level of enforcement” against owners who break rules on short-term rentals.

Vancouver City Coun. Lenny Zhou told the news conference the registry is a “welcome step” as “housing affordability continues to be a top priority” for the city.

Zhou said housing is one of the “most pressing issues” facing communities today, calling the registry a “step forward in ensuring that homes remain available for people who live and work in our city.”

He said short-term rentals offered on platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo fill a role in addressing hotel room shortages, but he said it was “equally important” to balance those needs with residential housing.

“For too long, we’ve struggled to address the challenges posed by non-compliant operators in the short-term rental market,” Zhou said. “This (has) made it difficult to ensure that housing remains available for those who want to call Vancouver home.”

He said the new provincial registry will help target “bad actors more effectively.”

At the same time, Zhou said it encourages more Vancouver homeowners to consider offering long-term rentals, easing the pressure on our housing market.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2025.