The Province of BC released new rules for short-term rentals today. The legislation focuses on three key areas:
- Increasing fines and strengthening tools for local governments;
- Returning more short-term rentals to long-term homes; and
- Establishing provincial rules and enforcement.
The new provincial legislation exempts resort municipalities, including Golden, from the principal residence requirement.
What does this mean for Golden?
In 2020, Golden’s Town Council adopted three bylaws to regulate short-term rentals (STRs). These regulations already include a principal residence requirement and posting a business licence number in active listings, similar to what the Province announced today.
The Town’s regulations go one step further, excluding STRs from Detached Secondary Residential Dwellings (ex. carriage houses), multi-family residential buildings and in manufactured/mobile home zones.
The Town’s regulations do allow STRs in commercial zones without the principal residence requirement to allow for more accommodation in the downtown, supporting the vitality of our commercial zones.
The Town’s STR regulations were developed after collecting feedback from over 500 people, 4 focus groups, one open house, two online surveys, a public hearing and targeted stakeholder meetings. Staff are currently working on an implementation plan to roll out the Town’s STR regulations, including online applications, education and eventually enforcement.
We are pleased to have more data, tools, and resources available from the Province to help with monitoring and enforcement and to know we were on the right track with our STR regulations.
Learn more about the Province’s new regulations: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0060-001598
Learn more about Golden’s STR Regulations: www.golden.ca/strs