EPC amends, approves new regulations for short-term rentals in Winnipeg

Mayor Scott Gillingham's inner circle has made changes toproposed new regulations for short-term rentals such as those offered by Airbnb.

City council's executive policy committee voted Tuesday on a package of regulations that would see the citylicense short-term rentals,impose a five-per-cent accommodation tax on the rentals andrestrict how many properties any single owner can rent out.

The plan that initially came to the committee would have imposed lessonerous rules on short-term rentalsin downtown Winnipeg andin areas zonedfor commercial or multi-family use.

Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) pushed for an amendment to ensureshort-term rentals indowntown Winnipeg are treated the sameas those inresidential neighbourhoods.

"I'm protective of my residents who've complained about parties and so forth," Rollins said.

Gillingham pushed for another change that willgrandfather in multiple listings. Property owners may now operate up to three short-term rentals in addition to a primary residence, as opposed to only one.

"I believe that's a measure of fairness, recognizing some individuals have made significant investments over the last years in absence of regulations," the mayor said.

Before the vote, no fewer than 24 delegates were registered to speak to EPC about the regulations, with some arguing in favour of tougher rules and others arguing for loosening them up.

Condo owner Craig Penner told the executive policy committee that heavy partying and crime in short-term rentals inside his building Glasshouse Skylofts, near Canada Life Centre has grown steadily worse.

He said he felt safer when he lived in an apartment buildingwhere thelandlord had greater control over who came and went.

Short-term rental owners want the rules loosened up to allow them to rent out secondary properties anywhere in Winnipeg.

"We are not the cause of all that ails Winnipeg," said Melanie Mitchell, president of the Manitoba Association of Short Term Rental Owners. "We are a significant part of the solution."

Penner said he can't attribute the noise and crime he has witnessed on his floor on social disparity in Winnipeg.

"People who are living in bus shelters are not the ones renting suites and engaging in sex tourism and hosting parties and engaging in drug trafficking," he said.

Mitchellalsoobjected to lobbying in favour of the rules by the Manitoba Hotel Association, comparing it to McDonald's seeking input from a competitor such as Burger King.

This proposal nowmoves forward to council as a whole on Feb. 23.