B.C. launches short-term rental registry with annual fees in bid to stop market speculators

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says British Columbia is launching a registry for short-term rentals to further crack down on "speculators" operating illegally.

Kahlon says 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 from June 1. 

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

"We believe homes are for people and not for speculation, and this registry will allow us to take the enforcement to the next step," Kahlon said during a news conference.

WATCH | Research suggests short-term rental rules are working: 

Short-term rental restrictions in B.C. working, new research suggests

4 months ago

Duration 7:08

David Wachsmuth, an assistant professor of urban planning at McGill University, has released a report commissioned by the B.C. Hotel Association he says shows the province's short-term rental rules are working. He says the number of active short-term rentals in B.C. has dropped by nearly 16 per cent (15.8%) since the restrictions came into effect this past May. Wachsmuth conducted the research as a freelancer outside of his position with the university.

The housing minister 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 the province is giving a 50 per cent discount to operators who sign up by Feb. 28, or a 25 per cent discount if they register by March 31.

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

Kahlon says 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 about short-term rentals.

Vancouver 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. 

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.