https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals#
I’ve read through this and a few things come to mind . If adopted by the DOT , will Tibbs and Eik street be exempt. ? The legislation mentions a provincial compliance oversight department . How will they react to operations that might have a few extra suites ? Will there be a more stringent assessment of what is a principle residence ? Give it a read and comment please .
....effective May 1, 2024, the new provincial principal residence requirement will come into effect. This means that regardless of local zoning bylaws, the principal residence requirement will apply....
ReplyDeleteTibbs and Eik are currently zoned to allow short term rentals. They are the only two properties in Tofino zoned as such.
But, according to the new rules, as quoted, not any longer. Not if Tofino "opts in".
I have no comment or opinion about potential court challenges, except to say that I'd expect to see such, if this comes to pass.
Might it just be easier to somehow simply exempt these two properties?
And what about the "student dorms"? Whatever became of those things? Can I still rent a room if I want to learn about nature?
You can't exempt some properties in Tofino and allow others. IE- removing STR zoning from residential but allowing it to remain in those 2 CD zones.
ReplyDeleteWhat's unclear is that even if Tofino does NOT opt-in, but later changes their own bylaws, can existing STRs be able to continue. Essentially those STRs would be grandfathered, which is not allowed at a provincial level, regardless of whether or not DOT opts in or not.
Its a mess from a socialist dogmatic Provincial Government with no financial skills. Parroted by the DOT...Lets change some names instead of actually solving problems. Cancel Canada while we are at it? Time for a significant change in local governace, and no I don't own a vr on the coast. Too unstable in terms or Governance on the Coast.
ReplyDeleteMore big news on the STR subject coming Tuesday. Freeland will announce that STR operators will no longer be permitted to claim expenses against rental income.
ReplyDeleteIf operators can't claim expenses (aibbnb fees, cleaners, bedding, repairs, etc) then there goes the profit!
This will be a game changer.
That's insane. You mean the liberals are actually going to do something positive for the country? That's the game changer.
ReplyDelete10:08 - You're spewing misinformation. Or at least not the whole truth. Tofino does not restrict short term rentals.
ReplyDelete"Property owners in areas that already restrict short-term rentals will no long be able to claim their rental expenses against the income they make, a senior federal official told the Star, in a bid to take away the incentive to flout local restrictions and list properties on platforms like Airbnb anyway.
I posted Star article . Ralph
ReplyDeletewtf does this mean China has taken over already
ReplyDeleteUnder the new BC provincial legislation, all of BC is considered restricted.
ReplyDeleteFinance Minister Chrystia Freeland will announce tax changes designed to curb the use of Airbnb Inc. and other short-term rental services in regions of Canada where those platforms are restricted, according to media reports.
The measure will be part of Freeland’s fall economic statement on Tuesday, according to reports in Montreal’s La Presse and the Toronto Star. The government will prohibit property owners from deducting expenses on short-term rentals in areas where those services are already limited by other levels of government, the news outlets said.
The tax change, which would come into effect Jan. 1, is meant to crack down on property owners who flout local regulations, according to the Star and La Presse. A shortage of available homes to rent is an issue in places like British Columbia, where the provincial government recently introduced new legislation that makes it harder for owners to list empty properties on a short-term basis on sites such as Airbnb, VRBO and Expedia.y/Th
Freeland said last month she was examining what tools the federal government might use against short-term rental sites, which result in “fewer homes for Canadians to rent, especially in urban and populated areas of our country.”
I don't think Tofino has to opt in for those two buildings to lose STR status.
ReplyDelete"In early November, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust published its biannual Vital Signs report revealing the regions living wage of $26.51 per hour — almost 10 dollars over the province’s minimum wage of $16.75.
ReplyDeleteRoughly 32 per cent of workers in the Clayoquot Sound region have employment in accommodation, food service and retail trade sectors, which are all “likely to earn below the living wage”, reads the report."
How many hotels and resorts, in Tofino, pay their staff a living wage? (especially the temporary foreign workers they import for housekeeping duty)? None of them do, not even close. How does this possibly relate to the subject of "keeping it in the community"? Providing us all with poor, underpaid neighbours who can't afford to feed themselves properly. (see Westerly News article). Great public service organizations, good community members? Hardly. Deserving of our support? Not as I see it.
On the other hand, there are STR operators who pay their housekeepers rates like $35 per hr.I have first hand knowledge of this, I'm not making it up. It's not fair to say that all the money earned at these STR's "leaves town", a good chunk stays here in the pockets of people who clean toilets and make beds. (and they're really grateful to have this income, it keeps them living reasonably.) These folks are all going to lose their good paying side jobs and be back to working 40 (or less) hrs a week for $17.00. I've spoken with some of them, they're worried.
It's never as simple as it sounds.
Follow the money. The trail,again, leads back to the hotel owners.
When you're told it's about "housing" and "community"....get out your shovel.
It's actually about "competition" and "profits".