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Why should you care?

We are the hardworking people providing your family with safe, clean, homelike and affordable accommodation options which will soon be gone without your help due to the NDPs Bill 35.

Request for amendments to the Short-term Rental Accommodations Act for Lawfully Operating Short-Term Rentals.

We, the undersigned, are residents of the Province of British Columbia who support affordable housing and acknowledge the impact of the Short-term Rental Accommodations Act (STRAA) in addressing housing affordability.

We appreciate the Act's intent to remove illegally operating short-term rentals (STRs), which may marginally contribute to increasing availability of long-term rental units.

However, we are concerned about the potential negative effects of a blanket application of the Act on the tourism sector, employees, and families who depend on lawfully operating STRs. We believe affordable housing cannot realistically be created from currently legal units with high operating costs.  These units provide much needed flexible accommodations in communities across BC while boosting tourism and our economy.

We define 'Lawfully Operating STRs' as those zoned and/or licensed by the municipalities they operate in. These STRs were operating within the law when the STRAA was passed and contributed significantly to the tourism industry and local economies through the MRDT tourism tax directly to affordable housing funds and projects.

We, therefore, petition the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia to:

1. Consider making specific amendments to the STRAA to allow lawfully operating STRs to continue their operations.
2. Recognize the potential impact on the tourism sector and the livelihoods of those involved if lawfully operating STRs are not exempted or considered in amendments to the STRAA.
3. Engage in further consultation with stakeholders in the tourism and short-term rental sectors to ensure a balanced approach that supports both affordable housing and a vibrant tourism industry.

We believe these actions will help maintain a healthy balance between the need for affordable housing and a thriving tourism sector in British Columbia.