Short Term Rental Decisions for Electoral Areas B, C and D

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The SRD Board will be meeting again today and three items about BC’s Short Term Rental Act are on the agenda. The Ministry of Housing responded to Cortes Island’s decision to opt in. 58% of the respondents of Area C’s survey on whether to opt in replied ‘Yes’ and Area D will not opt in.  
 On February 28, the SRD approved Cortes Island’s decision to opt in to BC’s Short Term Rental Act. The Ministry of Housing responded to this in an email last week. 
 “The request to opt-in to the principal residence requirement will take effect November 1, 2024, to give hosts notice to comply. In the meantime, this spring the Province will be standing up a new STR Compliance and Enforcement unit to investigate, take enforcement action related to short-term rentals, and direct platforms to remove non-compliant listings.” Vonesch was informed that the Ministry needs to receive a copy of the SRD resolution approving Cortes Island’s action by March 31, 2024.    Cortes Island and ‘other interested local governments’ will be removed from the exempt land list this spring.  “If the Province grants a change to exempt land status, that change remains in effect indefinitely unless a subsequent request to reverse the exemption is made by March 31 of a future year.” In related news, on March 5 Regional Director Robyn Mawhinney of Area C   launched a survey to see if her constituents also want to opt in. 58% of the people who 405 repondants stated 'Yes' and  41% stated 'No.' Area C has not announced a final decision and this matter will be discussed at today’s meeting.  In the same staff report it states John Rice, Regional Director of Area D, the Director has chosen to not opt-in to the principal residence requirement but is looking for public input regarding the regulatory aspects of STRs within the zoning bylaw. This will be discussed at a later date in a separate report.