Association says rental ban is harming sectors that depend on temporary housing
The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) is calling for a review and amendments to the province's short-term rental ban, citing negative impacts on various sectors and communities.
The ban, which came into effect on May 1, aims to return homes to the long-term rental market, but BCREA argued that it has caused significant disruption to industries such as tourism and healthcare.
“While housing affordability is extremely important, there are additional considerations in communities across BC that have been paved over with the implementation of this policy,” said Trevor Hargreaves, senior vice president of policy and research at BCREA. “There are numerous exemptions desperately needed to make this a workable and successful policy moving forward.”
The association also pointed out that people waiting to move into newly built or renovated homes, who often rely on short-term rentals while waiting for occupancy, are now facing difficulties finding adequate temporary housing.
BCREA also identified several groups struggling under the short-term rental ban, including healthcare workers assigned to remote areas, as well as patients and caregivers requiring short-term accommodations in urban centres.
The ban also affects people working on short-term events, such as major concerts and international sporting events like the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, where local hotel capacity is insufficient to meet demand.
BCREA is proposing several exemptions to the short-term rental ban, particularly in high-tourism areas and for the groups identified. Hargreaves acknowledged that while some short-term rental units should indeed be transitioned into long-term housing, the ban has gone too far by prohibiting legitimate short-term rental uses.
“There is no question that some of these short-term rental units should be functioning as long-term rentals, but there are some legitimate uses for short-term rentals that are no longer permitted under the legislation,” Hargreaves said in a news release.
The BCREA is urging the provincial government to consider the broader economic implications of the ban and make adjustments that accommodate the needs of sectors that depend on short-term rental housing.
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