According to AirDNA, available Airbnb listings in Nova Scotia dropped more than 17 per cent between January and April this year.

The future of Toronto's short-term rental sector is in question as a sharp drop in guests linked to the COVID-19 pandemic pushes some owners into the long-term market.

If the move is approved by the full council, city staff will then draw up a set of rules that would require all hosts of short-term rental properties, and the websites, to be licensed.

Sean McCann has filed a $5-million lawsuit against Airbnb, the home's owners and the party's hosts, alleging negligence.

Five months after a short-term rental licence became officially required, more than 800 people still don't have one.

According to the city, less than half of the approximately 1,300 short-term rentals identified as listed online are licensed.

The new bylaw still has to be written and approved. It will restrict short-term rentals to properties where the hosts live and create a permit system for hosts.

The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal says it has dismissed an appeal by several residents who objected to the rules that put limits on how people can rent out their properties.

If approved and implemented, the new rules would ban people from renting their property if it's not their primary residence, and introduce an online permit system for hosts.

Halifax's vacancy rate has been steadily declining and now sits at 1.6 percent. At the same time, the short-term rental market has been growing.