Regina gathering input to regulate Airbnb rentals

The City of Regina is opening up the floor for the regulation of short-term residential rental services like Airbnb and Vrbo.

With the rise in popularity of the online services, city officials said it is reviewing regulatory frameworks in other Canadian cities and exploring options for regulating rentals of less than 30 days.

One of the options involves requiring a licence for all or some types of short-term rentals.

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Currently, Regina is estimated to have more than 300 properties on Airbnb, but only one is properly licensed. A second is currently going through the process.

In September, Airbnb released a report claiming Regina had seen the largest increase in bookings when compared to other cities around the world in 2019.

It was a 328 per cent increase from the year before.

1:51 Airbnb regulations expected as hospitality revenue declines

According to external data in the survey, there were 949 short-term rental listings in Regina advertised through Airbnb and Vrbo in the past year.

Input gathered through an online survey and city administration’s review will inform an upcoming report to council recommending its next steps, officials said on Friday.

The survey closes Oct. 25.