Achi news desk-
The debate over short term rentals could heat up on Bowen Island on Monday night.
Staff are expected to recommend that the borough opt into the province’s new short-term rental legislation at Monday’s council meeting.
The new regulations, which limit short-term rental use to homes that are a primary residence or secondary suite, apply automatically to cities of 10,000 or more people.
Smaller communities such as Bowen Island, which has a population of 4,200, can opt in voluntarily by the end of March.
Mayor Andrew Leonard said the community was split on the proposal.
Many who oppose the adoption of the new regulations cite the need for short-term rentals to help them pay for the upkeep of cabins that have been in their family for generations.
Those who support it have raised concerns about the pressure of tourism on the island and the lack of affordable housing.
The email you need for the day’s top news stories from Canada and around the world.
The email you need for the day’s top news stories from Canada and around the world.
“The rental market on Bowen is a tough market. Bowen Island is primarily built as a single family residential area; there is a shortage of rental accommodation on the island,” said Leonard.
“In the summer when we are affected – I think more severely than most municipalities in Metro Vancouver – by the tourist season, it is very difficult for businesses to find accommodation for their employees.”
Bowen Island already has regulations governing short-term rentals, implemented in 2020, which allow an entire home to be used for short-term rentals for less than 120 days per year after acquiring a business license.
A review in 2023 of short term rentals on the island indicated that 25 properties on the island were being used for short term rentals where the owner was not using the home as their main residence.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
