Halifax short-term rental owner frustrated over regulation rollout
Global News
New regulations that limit where short-term rental units can operate in Halifax go into effect Friday, impacting rental owners who will no longer be permitted in residential areas.
New land-use bylaw regulations will come into effect this Friday, setting limitations on how and where short-term rental units can operate within Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).
“There really is no way to be compliant with it, which is frustrating,” short-term rental owner Mike Petrosoniak said.
He and his wife operate one short-term rental home in a residential zone — something that will no longer be permitted as of Sept. 1.
“Right now it seems more of a blanket ban than anything, on the industry,” Petrosoniak said. “Proposed 1,300 short-term rental units to be shut down out of 2,000 in the city, and that’s 65 per cent of that industry as a whole there.”
Under the new regulations, short-term rental owners will be required to register all units with HRM.
Rental units within residential zones will only be allowed to operate in the host’s primary residence — although, for neighbourhoods where hotels or other types of tourist accommodations already exist, commercial short-term rentals will be permitted.
When it comes to short-term rentals in rural areas, the city is considering modifications to these rules.
“Regional Council has directed staff to explore approaches to tourist accommodations in rural parts of the municipality that are outside of the urban service area boundary,” municipal spokesperson Klara Needler said by email.
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