By Cheryl Jahn

PG City Council wants a sit down with Housing Minister

Mar 25, 2024 | 8:53 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The City will make a special visit to Victoria to meet with provincial ministers, specifically Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon.

Recently, the Province introduced the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Act, which restricts where short-term rentals, such as AirBnb’s, can happen.

But there is an “opt-out” clause for communities with rental vacancy rates of under three percent.

According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Prince George’s vacancy rate in 2022 was 3.7 percent and 2.8 percent in 2023.

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In response to the request, the Minister of Housing wrote: “Unfortunately, the data does not meet the criteria in the regulations to enable the City to request an exemption from the provincial residence. It is important that we prioritize the goal of housing to the long-term housing housing market in communities where there are rental housing shortages.”

It goes on to reinforce that short-term housing can “still occur in peoples’ principal residences.