The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is taking a wait-and-see approach to the issue of new provincial legislation regarding short-term rentals until the Province provides greater clarity on the regulations.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is taking a wait-and-see approach to the issue of new provincial legislation regarding short-term rentals until the Province provides greater clarity on the regulations.
But with the new legislation coming into effect in May, the CSRD is encouraging owners of short-term rentals to contact planning staff to review the zoning regulations and confirm if a short-term rental (STR) is permitted on the property. If not, the CSRD can outline possible options for property owners.
For those wishing to operate a short-term rental, the provincial government will be establishing a STR registry by the end of 2024. All hosts, landowners or STR platforms will be required to apply to be added to the registry. To ensure compliance, the Province will also be creating a STR Compliance and Enforcement unit.
Compliance with zoning may be a requirement of being listed on the new provincial Short-Term Rental registry, however, many details regarding the registry are still to be released by the province.
“The provincial STR registry, we have no idea what the procedure for someone to get on the registry is going to be. How do they apply, what’s required… We’ve been hearing a lot of questions, as I’m sure some of the Area Directors are as well, with regards to the implementation of this legislation,” said Gerald Christie, General Manager, Development Services to the Board.
“People are wanting answers to these kinds of questions, but to put it succinctly, we don’t have the information yet,” said Christie.
Starting May 1, 2024, the Province will implement a principal residence requirement that limits short-term rentals to the host’s principal residence plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit. Currently, all Electoral Areas are exempt from this requirement, however local governments, including the CSRD, can request to opt-in.
Due to the uncertainty, the CSRD Board determined it will not opt-in to the Province’s Short term Rental Principal Residence Requirement at this time. The issue will return to the Board for further discussion in the fall, when there will be more clarity from the Province regarding the implementation of the legislation.
One of the possible methods to provide CSRD approval for short-term rentals is through Temporary Use Permits, which may allow specific land uses to occur for a short period of time. In the CSRD, Temporary Use Permits are generally valid for three years with the possibility of one renewal.
The CSRD’s South Shuswap Official Community Plan does not currently allow Temporary Use Permits for that area. The Board has now directed staff to prepare a bylaw amendment, which will provide an option for Temporary Use Permits for Electoral Areas C and G.
The CSRD has created a new Short-Term Rentals webpage on its website to provide information to property owners in the region. The page will be updated as more information becomes available from the Province.
