BC Conservative bill threatens thousands of renters during the World Cup
VICTORIA – The BC Conservatives have introduced a bill that could threaten thousands of long-term renters and encourage bad-faith evictions before next year’s FIFA World Cup.
Currently, the BC NDP’s Short Term Rental Accommodations Act (STRAA) bans standalone short-term rentals in communities above 10,000, requiring them to be located in a principal residence.
MLA Gavin Dew’s bill, which expands on Airbnb’s proposal, would create a temporary exemption to that requirement for major events like the FIFA World Cup. This would incentivize the bad-faith eviction of long-term renters in exchange for visiting tourists who would be charged several hundred dollars per night.
“Because of our action on short term rentals, vacancy rates are rising and asking rents are falling across B.C.,” said BC NDP Housing Minister Christine Boyle. “This BC Conservative bill threatens renters by incentivizing bad-faith evictions so that speculators can cash in on the tourist rush.”
Dew’s bill comes as rents have come down 10% in the last two years, in part due to these restrictions.
“Just as David Eby’s housing action plan is having an impact, the BC Conservatives are trying to weaken or cancel it entirely,” said Boyle. “With housing costs finally coming down, we can’t afford to go back to letting speculators drive costs higher and higher.”
The BC Conservatives have also promised to repeal short-term rental restrictions completely.
“The BC Conservatives are more interested in protecting speculators and multinational corporations than in making housing affordable for people,” said Boyle. “British Columbians simply can’t afford to go back.”