British Columbia has unveiled a short-term rental registry requiring all Airbnb and Vrbo hosts to register and pay annual fees, aiming to curb illegal listings and increase long-term housing supply.
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said Monday that the new system will crack down on “speculators” who misuse housing stock for profit instead of meeting residential needs.
“All operators must display a valid registration number on listings by May 1,” Kahlon said. “Listings without them will be removed starting June 1.”
Annual fees will range from $100 for resident hosts to $600 for commercial or strata hotel operators. Early registrants can receive discounts of up to 50% if they sign up by February 28.
“We believe homes are for people, not speculation,” Kahlon added. “This registry moves us into a stronger enforcement phase.”
The provincial system complements local regulations and will share data with the finance ministry and municipalities, increasing oversight of non-compliant hosts.
Vancouver Coun. Lenny Zhou welcomed the initiative. He called housing affordability a “top priority” and said the registry strikes a balance between tourism needs and residential housing access.
“For too long, non-compliant short-term rentals have strained housing availability,” Zhou said. “This helps keep homes in the residential market.”
While short-term rentals support tourism during hotel shortages, Zhou emphasized the importance of protecting permanent housing.
“This registry targets bad actors and encourages homeowners to offer long-term rentals instead,” he said.
Kahlon said early concerns that such crackdowns would hurt tourism were overstated. “People still want to visit B.C., and people still want to live here.”
