The Province and UBCM have established an Advisory Group on Short-Term Rentals (STRs) to facilitate discussion about the impacts of STRs and tools for addressing them. Information gathered by the group will help inform the Province’s consideration of potential policy approaches going forward.
The new advisory group is comprised of elected officials and senior staff from local government, as well as representatives from the Province. The group is co-chaired by Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton, LMLGA representative on the UBCM Executive; and, Gord Enemark, Executive Director, Housing Policy Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
In its first meeting in February, the Advisory Group considered the nature and extent of community impacts of STRs, had a preliminary discussion on existing approaches to management of STRs, and reviewed approaches employed in other jurisdictions. The group also approved a Terms of Reference.
In upcoming meetings, the group will further examine current approaches to local government regulation of STRs, explore emerging best practices, and identify ideas for new actions, including both local government options and potential provincial actions. The group will meet monthly through to June, and will prepare a report summarizing what was heard, including key considerations and ideas for policy options, for consideration by the UBCM Executive and Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
For further information on the Advisory Group, please contact Josh van Loon, Senior Policy Analyst.
Advisory Group Membership List:
- Co-Chair Jack Crompton, Mayor of Whistler
- Co-Chair Gord Enemark, Executive Director, Housing Policy Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
- Lee-Ann Garnett, Assistant Director, Long Range Planning, City of Burnaby
- Gail Given, Councillor, City of Kelowna
- Kathryn Holm, Director, Licensing and Community Standards, City of Vancouver.
- Josie Osborne, Mayor, District of Tofino
- Kim Ferris, Business Licencing Officer, City of Victoria
- Regina Sadilkova, Director, Development Services, Thompson-Nicola Regional District
- Alex Thumm, Development Services Planner, City of Nelson
- Peter Luckham, Chair, Islands Trust
- Josh van Loon, Senior Policy Analyst, UBCM
- Jessica Brooks, Executive Director, Planning and Land Use Management Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing