With FIFA looming, Vancouver sees 130% increase in short-term rental licences
Vancouver has seen a surge in applications for short-term rental licenses, with a 130 per cent increase recorded this January, year-over-year.
The City received 257 new applications in January 2026, 145 more than they received in January 2025, according to a statement they sent Daily Hive.
While the City didn’t attribute the increase to the FIFA World Cup, the games are now less than three months away and expected to draw in over 200,000 people to Vancouver.
According to a report from Deloitte, 32,000 of these tourists will be Airbnb guests.
Vancouver charges a steep fee for these licenses, at $1,108, with an additional $77 application fee.
“The City’s short‑term rental (STR) regulations are designed to protect long‑term housing while allowing residents to earn supplemental income by renting out their principal residence,” the City said.
It added that it’s not considering changes to STR regulations, even in light of FIFA and a 10,000 hotel room shortage.
“All STR operators must comply with these regulations or face enforcement measures, which can include removal of their online listing, fines, or both.”
Short-term rentals also must be the operator’s principal residence — secondary suites, basement suites, and vacant laneway houses are not eligible.
Either homeowners or tenants (with written permission from their landlord) can rent out their entire home or a room within it.
Airbnb has been vocal about its opposition to these fees ahead of the FIFA games.
“British Columbia and the City of Vancouver have some of the strictest short‑term rental regulations of all host cities,” said Alex Howell, Airbnb’s policy lead for Canada, in an email to Daily Hive.
She noted that there could be “an accommodation shortfall of 70,000 nights” and pointed to the skyrocketing hotel prices during the FIFA period.
“Yet neither the City or Province has been willing to consider a time‑limited, responsible adjustment that would make it easier and more affordable for people who are already allowed to operate under existing rules to register as hosts,” Howell said.
Daily Hive recently reported on the spike in Vancouver hotel prices, with July rates for rooms listed at $1,723 and $2,325 a night.
On March 6, Daily Hive scanned Airbnb’s listings in July, which look to be slightly cheaper (but still expensive). For example, a unit downtown was listed for about $1,615.38 per night (with a weekly stay discount applied).
The nightly rate if booked from July 1 to July 9. (Airbnb)
Last month, Airbnb created a host incentive, offering new Airbnb hosts in FIFA cities an extra $1,015 if they list their home and host their first guests by July 31, 2026.
Howell said they created the incentive to “help host cities like Vancouver meet the surge in demand for various types of accommodation during the FIFA World Cup.”
“It creates a unique opportunity for residents to open their homes, earn extra income and benefit from the biggest host incentive program Airbnb has ever offered,” she said.
B.C.’s Airbnb restrictions
The province’s Airbnb restrictions took effect in 2024, which mandated that hosts on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo could only rent out a home if it were their principal residence. The idea was to prevent people from putting investment properties on sites like these and put more homes into the rental market.
B.C. reported in early 2025 that one in every 10 short-term rentals in B.C. went back to the long-term rental market or were put up for sale. The government has also attributed it to reports that rents in vacant units are dropping.