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Regina won’t have a new bylaw to regulate short-term rental properties for a few months yet, after a report was sent back from the city’s executive committee.
On Wednesday, executive committee — which considers reports and business at city hall before official city council meetings — took a look at a report from city administration on regulation of short-term rentals like Airbnbs.
The report from administration recommended the rentals become a permitted use in residential and mixed-use zones.
Currently, they are permitted in mixed-use zones and are discretionary in residential ones — meaning approval is in the hands of the city’s planning commission.
The report also suggested a licensing system to create “regulatory equity” with the hotel industry, while also allowing the city to better track complaints.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the councillors heard from the city’s hotels association, which is pushing for short-term rentals to be regulated.
The association has previously said those rentals have had a “detrimental effect” on business. The industry also points out that short-term rentals are not treated like businesses.
“For council, we’ve had a fair amount of lobbying from the hotel association — and I think rightly so — that Airbnbs or short-term stays are fine but let’s make sure they are licensed, held accountable and the tax levels are appropriate,” Mayor Michael Fougere said before Wednesday’s meeting.
Regina also happens to be a hotspot for short-term rentals, with Airbnb saying bookings in the city are increasing at the fastest pace in the world — a 328 per cent increase in the past year.
According to the administration’s report, the fee being proposed for an annual licence would be $50 if the property is a primary residence and $225 if the home is a secondary property.
Operators would be subject to random inspections to make sure they are complying with fire and building codes and rules concerning health and safety.
Unlicensed rentals or those advertising one without a licence would result in a $1,000 fine.
Regarding taxes, the report states the classification of a property is determined by an assessor and a residence being used for short-term accommodation “will in most cases be classified as residential in accordance with the provincial legislation. The city does not have the authority to amend property classifications by bylaw.”
As well, it says the city does not have authority under the law to impose an accommodation tax or tourism fee.
However, councillors at Wednesday’s meeting had many questions, so the report was referred back to administration to ask for another report with answers to those questions. The new report is expected back in the second quarter of 2020.
— With files from Joseph Ho and Lisa Schick
