This coastal B.C. community is cracking down on short-term rentals
A resort municipality on Vancouver Island is cracking down on the proliferation of short-term rentals in residential neighbourhoods as it grapples with a housing shortage.
Members of the Ucluelet, B.C., council voted earlier this month to amend a bylaw to limit new bed and breakfasts to three guestrooms per building and a maximum of two guests per room.
Guestrooms are prohibited from having fully equipped kitchenettes and guests must use the home's main door rather than a separate entry.
The amended bylaw also mandates that a bed and breakfast must be operated by the property's primary resident as the municipality hopes to promote the "traditional B&B" over short-term rentals on websites like Airbnb and Vrbo.
"Limiting the proliferation of B&Bs in residential neighbourhoods is one step that Ucluelet can take to improve housing access and affordability," the municipality says on its webpage explaining the bylaw changes.
Municipal leaders voted 3-2 in favour of the amendments during a special meeting of council on Sept. 6.
Ucluelet, which is 40 kilometres southeast of the popular tourist town of Tofino, B.C., has seen an explosion in online short-term rentals even as the region struggles to house its year-round residents and seasonal workers.
Many of those online rentals cropped up to exploit "a loophole into the commercial vacation accommodation market," according to the municipality.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.