N.S. housing crisis: Province plans to impose steeper registration fees for short-term rentals

The Nova Scotia government plans to introduce new legislation this fall to further regulate short-term rentals and impose higher annual registration fees.

Short-term rental owners are already required to register their properties through the province, with annual registration fees of $50 to $150, depending on the number of bedrooms.

In a release Thursday, the province said the new fees will be based on the size of the communities where they are located. The province will also increase fines for those breaking registration rules.

In the release, Housing Minister John Lohr noted that the province is facing an “unprecedented housing crisis.”

“We’re working to get more housing built, but that takes time. In the meantime, houses and apartments that could be long-term homes are being rented short-term,” he said.

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“We are concerned about the impact short-term rentals have on our housing market, and we are prepared to do more if necessary. We want more of these properties used for the long-term housing our communities desperately need.”

Under the new regulations, fees for units not located in someone’s home will range from $240 “in the most rural communities” to $3,600 in the centre of Halifax Regional Municipality. Fees for units in a principal residence — shared with the host — will be set at $10 across the province.

“Fees for intermediate tourism zones and the borders of those zones will be determined through analysis and engagement,” the release added.

The fee changes will only apply to short-term accommodations, like those through Airbnb, and will not affect traditional accommodations like hotels and motels. Their fees will continue to range from $50 to $150 depending on the number of bedrooms.

The Tourist Accommodations Registration Act will be renamed as the Short-term Rental Registration Act, and will be overseen by the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

The amendments to the act will be introduced in the fall sitting of the legislature, which begins Oct. 12, and the changes would be brought forward in April.

There were more than 6,000 registered short-term accommodations in Nova Scotia as of September.

Halifax Regional Municipality has also taken steps to regulate the short-term rental industry, voting in February to limit rentals to a host’s primary residence in residential zones.