The City of Burnaby has officially adopted bylaw amendments to regulate Short Term Rentals, which will help protect the City’s long-term rental stock and housing in general, address the potential neighbourhood concerns of STRs, and provide opportunities for home owners to benefit from this emerging market.
“We’re proud of the steps we’ve taken to address housing affordability and availability in Burnaby,” said Mayor Mike Hurley. “The regulations we adopted will protect our rental housing supply, while allowing Burnaby homeowners earn extra income and providing tourists with more opportunities to find accommodations that suit their specific needs.”
City Council approved amendments to the Burnaby Zoning Bylaw, Business Licence Bylaw, Business Licence Fees Bylaw and the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw to create a program for Burnaby homeowners who wish to operate a short-term rental within their principal residence.
The program, which comes into effect on August 1, 2022, includes the following key regulations:
- Homeowners may list the home that they live in as a short-term rental property.
- Note: Short-term rentals are not permitted in properties containing a secondary suite.
- Short-term rentals are not permitted in rental units, including secondary suites and flex units.
- Up to 4 unrelated guests, or 6 people within the same family are permitted to stay in a short-term rental property at any one time.
- Homeowners are limited to renting a room in their home as a short-term rental for a maximum of 90 nights per calendar year, of which 28 nights may include the rental of the homeowner’s entire permanent home.
Homeowners who wish to operate a short-term rental must first obtain a business licence from the City of Burnaby. For more information, visit Burnaby.ca/str.
Burnaby introduced this framework in response to the rapid growth of online platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO, which facilitate the booking of private residences as tourist accommodations. While these platforms are popular with tourists and homeowners, the framework is intended to protect both the supply and affordability of long-term rental housing, as well as the liveability and security of residential neighbourhoods and buildings.
Learn More: Burnaby.ca/str
Media Contact:
Chris Bryan
Manager, Public Affairs
Public Affairs Office
604-570-3616 | [email protected]