Canadians support stricter regulations to curb the impact of short-term rentals on rent prices and availability
As the housing crisis tightens its grip on Canada, a new survey revealed that the majority of Canadians believe short-term rental properties are making it harder to find homes and are driving up rent prices, prompting calls for stronger regulations to help mitigate their impact on housing availability and rent prices.
Nearly three-quarters of Canadians believe short-term rentals negatively affect housing availability, with 51% saying the impact is negative and 23% saying it’s somewhat negative, according to a new survey conducted by Nanos Research and commissioned by Hotel Association of Canada.
Similarly, over seven in ten respondents said short-term rentals drive up rent prices, with 44% reporting a negative impact and 27% somewhat negative. About 47% of Canadians think rent prices in their communities will increase due to short-term rentals, compared to just 23% who believe they will stay the same. This represents a noticeable shift from 2018, when Canadians were evenly split on whether rent prices would rise or remain stable.
"In a climate where housing affordability is top of mind for Canadians, short-term rentals are linked to the issues of housing availability and increased rent prices," said Nik Nanos, chief data scientist at Nanos Research. "Canadians want to see more restrictions on commercial short-term rentals."
Many Canadians believe short-term rentals have a negative effect on community safety. The survey showed that 43% of Canadians feel their neighbourhoods have become less safe due to short-term rental activity, compared to 34% who believe the rentals haven’t affected safety at all.
Over 60% of respondents said they support or somewhat support limiting commercial short-term rentals, with younger Canadians (ages 18-34) showing particularly strong support at 64%.
These findings align with ongoing calls from market players who argued that commercial short-term rentals reduce the availability of long-term housing options, further exacerbating the housing crisis.
"Since the beginning of our efforts in 2016, we have always been highlighting the negative impact that commercial short-term rentals have on our housing markets," said Lis Pimentel, chair of the Fairbnb Canada Network. "This impact has not only been confirmed in study after study, both internationally and domestically, but this Nanos survey shows that a clear majority of Canadians feel this very impact on our housing affordability and availability."
The survey also suggested that politicians who advocate for stronger regulations on short-term rental platforms could see positive electoral outcomes. Canadians are more than twice as likely (38%) to support a local politician who pushes for increased control over short-term rentals compared to those who would be less likely (15%) to offer their support.
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"We have consistently argued that regulations on short-term rentals are an essential, straightforward policy option for decision-makers," Fairbnb executive director Thorben Wieditz added. "These results confirm that Canadians agree limiting commercial short-term rentals is a clear solution.
“Since Airbnb doesn't voluntarily police its inventory and thrives off commercial short-term rentals, governments across the country should adopt regulatory approaches to protect our housing affordability and availability."
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