Calgary residents are being asked to take an online survey to help shape the city’s short-term rental regulations.
Phase 2 of the city’s online survey launched Monday. The survey will serve as the basis for the city’s short-term rental study, which will examine market characteristics, public perceptions, operational challenges and the impact of short-term rentals on the housing market, according to the City of Calgary.
Short-term rentals include homes or portions of homes rented for up to 30 consecutive days, typically through websites such as Airbnb or VRBO.
“Feedback from Calgary residents improves our understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the Calgary short-term rental market,” said Antonio Faiola, Business Experience Manager for the City of Calgary.
“We will consider input from Calgary residents and present recommendations to Council in December.”
The City’s short-term rental study is a collaboration with the University of Calgary. The results of the two-year study will be used to implement short-term rental regulations in Calgary.
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“It is important that we engage Calgary residents as we evolve our regulations to align with the city’s priorities around housing, economic development, downtown revitalization, hospitality and tourism,” Faiola said.
The city said the short-term rental market has grown significantly since 2017, thanks in part to platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.
As of September 2023, there were about 5,000 short-term rental listings in Calgary, the majority of which are concentrated in the downtown area. This represents about one percent of Calgary’s approximately 540,000 residential properties, according to the city.
Calgary has had regulations for short-term rentals since 2020, and updates to the guidelines came into effect in January 2024. The updated rules now require all prospective operators to include the following items with their license applications:
- Fire protection plan and inspection
- Proof of ownership (or consent of the owner if it is a tenant)
- Approval of the homeowners’ council (if applicable)
- Proof of liability insurance coverage
Phase 1 of the study, which also included an online survey for the public, ran in October 2023. The city said feedback from Phase 1 of the study showed that short-term rentals in Calgary serve a need that is not limited to tourism. Short-term rentals are used by people coming to the city for medical reasons, Calgarians moving between apartments, new Calgarians and transient workers, according to the city.
A report on the study to the Council is expected in December.
Phase 2 of the online survey runs until September 30. The survey can be completed on the City of Calgary website, calgary.ca.
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