Province moving forward on short-term rental rules

CANADA, April 30 - Municipalities with fewer than 10,000 people, regional districts and resort municipalities are exempt from the principal-residence requirement but may request to opt in by March 31 of each year to take effect Nov. 1 of the same year.

The three communities that have requested to opt in in 2025 are the Town of Creston, Salt Spring Island and Electoral Area B of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (Revelstoke/Golden).

Certain local governments can annually request by a resolution submitted to the minister of housing and municipal affairs to opt out of the principal-residence requirement if the community has a rental vacancy rate of 3% or more for two consecutive years. In addition, communities that have previously opted in can request to opt out without the vacancy-rate requirement.

There are three communities that have made the decision to opt out of the principal-residence requirement, meaning that the principal-residence rules will not apply on Nov. 1, 2025. The communities are the District of Tofino, Electoral Area E of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora) and Electoral Area G of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (Saltair/Thetis + Penelakut Islands).