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E3. Short-Term Rental Accommodation Act Exemption Flexibility for Small Communities
Status
Endorsed by the NCLGA Membership
WHEREAS the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act, introduced by the Province of British Columbia in October 2023, mandates local governments to regulate short-term rentals to increase the supply of long-term housing but applies a rigid exemption threshold based solely on rental vacancy rates;
AND WHEREAS smaller communities, such as Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, experience temporary fluctuations in vacancy rates due to major projects and economic cycles, which do not reflect a long-term housing shortage, yet remain ineligible for exemptions under the current criteria;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that NCLGA and UBCM urge the provincial government, specifically the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, to amend the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act to allow greater exemption flexibility for small and resource-based communities by:
• Expanding exemption criteria beyond rental vacancy rates to include economic conditions, municipal housing needs assessments, and local government input; and
• Allowing municipalities under 25,000 population to apply for exemptions based on demonstrated local housing market conditions rather than rigid vacancy thresholds.