Matthew Hayes of New Brunswick’s Tenant’s Rights Coalition says a provincial study on the impact of short-term rentals is taking too long to complete.
“I think we’re at the start of a short-term rental boom, not at the end, and we don’t know where that’s going to lead,” Hayes said in an interview on Monday.
While jurisdictions like Halifax and Charlottetown have introduced legislation aimed to limit the amount of short-term rentals taking stock away from the long-term rental market, Fredericton is the only city in New Brunswick to have done so.
New Brunswick housing department spokesperson Rebecca Howland told Global News in a written statement that the study is a joint effort with the province’s Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture.
The review includes sites like Vrbo and Airbnb, as well as hotels, motels, camping grounds and other accommodations.
Howland said Housing NB will use the data “to determine next steps.”
Fredericton is the only jurisdiction in New Brunswick with any sort of regulation related to short-term rentals.
The bylaw states that property owners can only rent out units for periods of less than 28 days if they live in the same building.
Hayes says that hasn’t been enforced, and he’s calling for more regulations on short-term rentals across the province.
Moncton city councillor Charles Léger told Global News on Monday that the city is waiting on the province’s report before discussing potential regulations.
In April, he proposed new legislation that would require short-rentals in Moncton to be inspected by the fire department.
This was in response to a deadly fire that occured in a Montreal AirBnb in March.
He would also be open to discussions about regulations related to short-term rentals and their effect on the housing market.
“When you look at some sites that indicate people have multiple, multiple units for rent it’s clear that it’s not just a short-term rental or an extra little income,” he said on Monday.
“I think at this point we need to look at ways to put everything in a more solid position,” he said.
In an emailed statement sent in response to a Global News inquiry, Nathan Rotman, Airbnb Canada’s Policy lead, said: “While Airbnb supports regulations and we are always willing to work with governments to address community concerns, the reality is, Airbnb listings represent less than 1 percent of the overall housing supply in New Brunswick. “
Hayes argues that number doesn’t take into account that certain types of housing are overrepresented on platforms like AirBnb.
“In Moncton, three bedroom units or above, there are only about five or six hundred of those units (on the market),” Hayes said.
“There are over 60 on short-term platforms, which means that more than 10 per cent, you could increase the availability without spending any money.”
Howland said the provincial government will have more news on the study “in the coming weeks and months”.
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