Quebec tightens rules on Airbnb and other short-term rental properties

New regulations for short-term property rentals like Airbnb are set to go into effect this September throughout Quebec.

Quebecers who wish to rent out their homes online for less than 31 consecutive days will need a registration number as well as a permit that will range from $50 to $75.

The registration number and permit will need to be included on all rental documents, listings, advertising, or website connected to the rental unit.

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Tenants will also require permission from their owners to rent out short-term rental sites and condo owners will need validation from their condominium association, according to Le Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ).

The new rules have been put in place so that Revenue Quebec can ensure that every time properties get rented through online platforms, the required 3.5% accommodation tax is being paid to the provincial government.

Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx says the tax regulation was long overdue in Quebec. “Collaborative hosting being a phenomenon that is here to stay, it was imperative for us to adapt the regulations quickly and effectively to this new reality,” she said.

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The new rules will apply to “primary residences,” defined as a rental unit where the host normally lives. Cottages and furnished apartments, dubbed “secondary residences,” will have another set of guidelines. Secondary residences will need to register a more detailed form with the Corporation de l’industrie touristique du Québec, who oversee the province’s tourism industry.

Quebecers who rent out their properties will have to collect provincial and federal sales tax and will have to start claiming revenue.

“We are disappointed the government has opted to create red tape, bureaucracy and needless friction for everyday people who would like to rent out their cottages to visiting families or share student housing during the summer months,” Alex Dagg, Airbnb’s public policy manager, said in a statement to Daily Hive. “This proposal lacks the nuance needed to successfully regulate home sharing and should differentiate between regular people sharing their second home and professional operators.”

“Airbnb looks forward to seeing more details about the registration process that the government is proposing and we strongly urge officials to move forward with a simple process that respects the casual nature of people sharing their homes,” concluded Dagg.