City and Airbnb play blame game over illegal short-term rentals

Good morning,

Sometimes when you hit send you never know what to expect… So a huge thank you to everyone who shared their feedback on yesterday’s first edition of Vancity Lookout Eats. It means so much that many of you are finding it valuable. If you missed out, you can subscribe instantly by clicking this link.

Today we’ve got a short-term rental blame game, and a breakdown of our food survey, along with some big upcoming art and music events.

Let’s get to it!

— Geoff Sharpe, Vancity Lookout editor

PS - Was this email forwarded to you? Subscriber here for free so you don’t miss a single edition.

WEATHER

Snow warning expected into today.

Wednesday: 7 🌡️ 0 | 🌧️

Thursday: 3 🌡️ -1 | ❄️

Friday: 2 🌡️ -1 | ❄️

HOUSING

Why the city is struggling to crack down on illegal short-term rentals

What happened: The city is dealing with a number of illegal non-compliant short-term rentals, but it’s not their fault, one city councillor says, as both short-term rental companies and the city play a game of who’s to blame, according to CBC.

Twitter user Mortimer_1 has been chronicling a shocking number of illegal units using fake or expired short-term licenses. Coun. Lenny Zhou, who has been leading the charge on the file, took to Twitter to explain that the city has notified Airbnb about the illegal listings, but Airbnb says the city must enforce its own bylaws with fines.

Yes, but: Enforcement requires presenting owners with a ticket, or leaving it with someone, and Zhou noted that it’s hard to reach these people. He also noted that the Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon is aware of the issue. 

• The city also does not have the authority to get listings off the platform. 

Solution: The province’s Short Term Accommodation Act, brought in back in October, seeks to address some of the issues. Along with larger fines and a rental registry system, the province’s policy will help deal with non-compliant listings.

Squad goals: Quebec requires Airbnb to validate registered addresses on the platform, rather than the government. Illegal short-term listings means companies like Airbnb can be hit with large fines. Failure to do so resulted in a $100,000 fine per illegal listing. Montreal also set up a dedicated squad that visits units and issues fines to individuals and companies breaking the rules, according to CTV. Maybe Vancouver should follow suit? 

Zoom out: Cities around the world have been cracking down on short-term rentals. Lisbon and Portugal are no longer granting licenses, New York’s new laws limit them to a single room in a home, while Berlin has had a similar law for a while. You can read a bigger breakdown from the website Domus. 

What it means: Quebec has shown the way to dealing with rampant and illegal short-term rentals requires targeting the companies themselves, along with hefty fines. It remains to be seen if the province’s laws will have the desired effect.

Anecdotal info: This is not scientific, but I have noticed a spike in on Craigslist and other rental platforms of fully furnished one-bedroom units available to rent since the law was announced.

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VANCOUVER NUMBERS

💰️ $10 million: The amount a developer is asking for a city fee to be deferred till a later date. The money would go toward community amenities and infrastructure that supports the development. This is the second time they’ve asked for an extension. City staff are recommending approval of the deferral. [Vancouver Sun]

📈 3.9%: The rise in BC’s minimum wage this year. That’s an increase to $17.40 from $16.75 in 2022. The BC government says they are changing legislation to tie the increase to the rate of inflation, whereas before it was a decision made by cabinet. [CBC]

⛴️ 2029: The year the new BC Ferries ships are set to arrive. They will replace the six aging Queen-class vessels. The focus will be on making them more energy-efficient and green. [Vancouver is Awesome]

⬆️ 4,700: The number of people that could soon be homeless, up from 3,150 today according to the Carnegie Housing Project, mostly from problems and rent increases at SROs. [Global News]

SURVEY

What Lookout readers want from our new food newsletter

Last week we asked readers to share what they wanted to see in our new food publication. We’re excited to share with you the results and what they mean for Vancity Lookout Eats!

First, readers said there were a bunch of problems with food coverage in the city:

• It’s hard to know who to trust online for reviews;

• Readers are tired of sweeping reviews claiming one place is “the best”;

• Too many people recommend the same places — more diversity is needed;

• And restaurant recommendations are too expensive

We agree with all of these. Diversity of affordable places is something we plan to focus on.

You also told us what you want more of. Here’s a breakdown of the results.

These are the sorts of stories and places we plan to cover. For example, I’m planning to write even more about Chinese food courts that don’t get the same love as more popular restaurants.

If this type of food writing interests you, sign-up for Vancity Lookout Eats today by clicking on this link — you’ll immediately be subscribed.

DREAM HOME

This story is making the rounds, so of course we have to feature everyone’s favourite Vancouver comedian, actor and producer’s home that’s for sale. I am, of course, talking about Seth Rogen. 

In what feels like a rather modest place at 1,463 square feet, this two-bedroom, two-bathroom loft in Yaletown features tasteful brick walls, the kitchen of your dreams, a well-sized master bedroom, a massive walk-in closet and tasteful elements throughout. Honestly, it’s much less ostentatious than what you’ll find other celebrities owning.

Of course, it’s a large loft in Yaletown, so it’s still rather pricey… 

House of The Week is a home selected by the Lookout team and is not a paid advertisement. All ads are labeled as such. If you’re a realtor who wishes to feature your home in our newsletter, please contact our sales team.

THE AGENDA

👎️ Ju-no? Coun. Mike Klassen says he will no longer ask council to cover $3,650 in costs for the Juno Awards that he planned to attend. Klassen originally argued it would be helpful for him to attend to see how Halifax is hosting the awards show, since Vancouver is hosting it next year. [Vancouver Sun]

🗳️ Coun. Christine Boyle is introducing a motion to bring back the city’s living wage policy of $25.68, which would apply to city workers. The policy was in place until city hall voted in a closed-door session to end the living wage, with Ken Sim and his ABC majority voting to end it. [CTV]

🌉 So, uh, that’s not good… Some businesses on Granville Island experienced an unexpected rainfall of debris from the Granville Street Bridge on Saturday. Luckily it wasn’t the bridge itself breaking, but someone throwing materials over the side. [CBC]

🧑‍⚖️ Notorious gang member Jamie Bacon will not get out of jail early after the Parole Board of Canada denied his early statutory release. He will continue to serve his 11-year sentence after his conviction for his conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of six people in 2007. [Vancouver Sun]

👮 A large lantern outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, created by Kwakwaka'wakw artist Richard Hunt, was stolen on Monday. If you have any information about it, please contact the police. [Vancouver is Awesome]

💉 After a contentious city council meeting that included large protests when council voted in favour of asking for a supervised drug consumption site, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie says he will not be asking Vancouver Coastal Health to do so, since the health authority has said they aren’t considering putting one in the city. [CBC]

📈 Unfortunately the child poverty rate in BC grew in 2021 due to fewer pandemic benefits. BC’s child poverty rate is 14.3 percent, compared to 15.6 percent nationally. [Vancouver Sun]

ARTS

Music

Sarah McLachlan is coming to Vancouver for her tour Fumbling Towards Ecstasy on May 23 at the Pacific Coliseum, which celebrates the tour/album’s 30-year anniversary. [Straight]

Crooner Noah Kahan will be in Vancouver on March 26 at Rogers Arena. Tickets start at $151. I’ve started listening to his music and it’s almost like a more uplifting Mumford and Sons. 

Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, will perform on April 30 at the Orpheum, featuring songs from his father’s well-known band. [Straight]

Royal Wood and Jeffery Straker, will be performing their Piano May tour at the Shadbolt Center for the Arts on March 13. Wood was nominated for multiple Folk Music and Juno awards. 

Movies 

VIFF is featuring black artists for Celebrating Black Futures, including my personal favourite Sorry to Bother You. Following it, African Cinema Now will feature monthly showcases of movies from the continent. You can also catch Oscar-nominated movies like The Teachers’ Lounge, and later in March Oppenheimer, and other ones like Origin. 

You can catch some classic films at Cinematheque from directors like Jean-Luc Godard and Miyazaki Hayao. If you’re looking for a true classic, mark April 21 in your calendar when they’re showing The Red Balloon. 

Art

Popular comedian Tom Segura will be performing in Vancouver on Sept. 13 at the Malkin Bowl. Tickets start at $172. 

North Vancouver is hosting the 2024 Art Rental Show from now until April 6. It features more than 150 local artists with a multitude of different formats.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tocador was forced to close for three days after inspectors caught people dancing in the restaurant. Its license does not permit dancing. Big Footloose vibes! [Times Colonist]

• City Coun. Peter Meiszner is bringing forward a motion to make the Vancouver sign in Coal Harbour a permanent attraction. [CityNews]

• Zip Air has dropped flight costs for Vancouver to Japan by around $300. Having just visited Japan, I cannot recommend it enough, even with the bad jet lag when you return home. [Vancouver is Awesome]

• Big waves didn’t stop this kiteboarder! [Reddit]

• Good news for outdoor lovers. North Vancouver is in the early stages of extending the Spirit Trail eastwards. The first segment would be completed by late 2025. You can see the entire map here. [Urbanized]

• Want to have your announcement featured? Learn how here.

GAME TIME

Congrats to everyone who guessed the correct answer to Monday’s quiz — the number of people who live in SROs is approximately 7,000.

In celebration of the launch of our food newsletter, I’m sharing a crossroads that has what I think maybe the highest concentration of quality restaurants in the city. Can you name the intersection or any of the restaurants nearby? 

Reply with the correct answer and your name to be featured in the newsletter.