Airbnb suspends more than 40 listings across Ontario for hosting parties

Airbnb has suspended more than 40 listings across Ontario as part of its effort to crack down on house parties, the short-term rental platform announced on Monday.

The company said the suspensions are part of its policy change to ban parties at properties globally.

"This is all part of a larger effort on behalf of the company to ensure that parties and reckless behaviour in events in neighbourhoods don't occur on our platform," said Airbnb Canada spokesperson Nathan Rotman.

The listings suspended on Monday were from hosts who have received complaints and warnings or have violated the platform's policies on parties over the last year, said Rotman.

Airbnb said many of the listings were in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as in Ottawa, Hamilton, and other smaller communities in southern Ontario.

Ontario 1st province to see suspensions

While Ontario is the first to see suspensions on the platform, the company plans to enforce the policy in other parts of Canada in the coming months, said Rotman.

"We've been focusing on a couple of jurisdictions," she said.

Earlier this year, the company introduced a pilot project in Canada to restrict users under the age of 25 from booking entire homes.

Airbnb said the pilot has been successful and has been expanded to the United Kingdom, France and Spain.

Concerned neighbours can call a 24/7 hotline if they think an Airbnb property is being used to host a party in their area, it said.