EPC pressured to either toughen or ease proposed short-term rental regulations
CBC
Mayor Scott Gillingham's inner circle is facing pressure to both water down and toughen up proposed new regulations for short-term rentals such as those offered by Airbnb.
No fewer than 24 delegates are registered to speak to city council's executive policy committee on Tuesday about a plan to license short-term rentals, restrict the rentals to primary residences in most areas of Winnipeg, and impose a five-per-cent accommodation tax on the rentals.
The rules would allow property owners to rent out secondary properties downtown and at properties zoned for commercial or multi-family use.
Some condo residents want that exemption scrapped.
Condo owner Craig Penner told the executive policy committee that heavy partying in short-term rentals inside his building — Glasshouse, near Canada Life Centre — has grown steadily worse.
He said he felt safer when he lived in an apartment building where the landord had greater control over who came and went.
However, short-term rental owners want the rules loosened up to allow them to rent out secondary properties anywhere in Winnipeg.
"We are not the cause of all that ails Winnipeg," said Melanie Mitchell, president of the Manitoba Association of Short Term Rental Owners. "We are a significant part of the solution,
She also objected to lobbying in favour of the rules by the Manitoba Hotel Association and comparing it to McDonald's seeking input from a competitor such as Burger King.
Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she intends to amend the proposal to make downtown Winnipeg subject to the same short-term rental restrictions as other neighbourhoods.
A vote on the proposal is expected later Tuesday.
Regardless of the vote, the proposal is expected to move forward to council as a whole on Feb. 23.