Charlottetown moves step closer to registry for secondary apartments

The city is working on a registry for apartments people have in their homes.

'We believe there's upwards of 400 to 500 illegal apartments in Charlottetown right now'

CBC News · Posted: Mar 13, 2019 5:44 PM EDT | Last Updated: March 13, 2019

Coun. Greg Rivard, also chair of the city's planning department, hopes the registry could be operational by this summer. (Laura Meader/CBC)

The city of Charlottetown has moved one step closer to more stringent regulations for apartments in people's homes.

The so-called secondary or garden suites were approved back in October as part of an affordable housing policy.

We applaud the city for taking proactive measures to come to grips with the proliferation of short-term residential rental units in the city.— Tourism PEI

The planning department is now working on a new bylaw to create a registry for approved listings.

"If it's on the registry, it's met the fire and building code," said Coun. Greg Rivard, chair of the department.

Rivard said no such registry exists right now and he says the city believes there could be as many as 500 illegal apartments in the city.

He hopes more places will come forward and register.

Restricting short-term rentals part of Charlottetown affordable housing plan

Meeting safety standards

Rivard said the intent of the registry is mainly to ensure rentals meet safety standards and that they've been inspected, however it could help make sure long-term rentals remain long-term rentals and aren't turned into tourist rentals once they're on the registry.

"Building that onto your home or having that in your home, no you can't use that accessory apartment as a short term-rental," Rivard said.

The city says the idea of the registry is to give tenants a list of approved long-term rentals, 'they know it's safe for them and their family,' says chair of the planning department Greg Rivard. (Laura Meader/CBC )

"We applaud the city for taking proactive measures to come to grips with the proliferation of short-term residential rental units in the city," officials with Tourism PEI said in an email.

"We are working with the city to develop a form applicants must fill out and have approved by the city before we will issue any tourism accommodation licence. It will be the operator's responsibility to get the city's approval."

Rivard said the bylaw would require that units remain as long-term rentals, and legal action could be taken if the unit was used for a short-term rental.

"We would file a court injunction if needed," Rivard said.