Port Coquitlam falls in line with provincial legislation on short-term rentals 

Port Coquitlam is ironing out its plan to regulate short-term rental accommodations ahead of the provincial deadline this spring. 

At a committee of council meeting on March 12, city council unanimously approved a motion to update the city’s zoning bylaw regarding short-term rentals. 

If the changes are passed at a future council meeting, short-term rentals in Port Coquitlam will be permitted to people that live in a “primary residence” for at least six months of the year. Currently, short-term rentals are only allowed as a “Bed and Breakfast” accessory business within a residential dwelling.

“These are all straightforward and line up well with the [provincial] legislation, which I support because we’re in the middle of a housing crisis,” said Coun. Glenn Pollock. 

The changes are also aiming to separate short-term rental accommodations from boarding housing, temporary accommodations that normally go to exchange students or sports billets. 

Under the proposed change, people who are boarding must stay in their temporary home for at least 90 days. 

The changes may leave some uncertainty around billets, said Coun. Steve Darling, who asked staff how the new changes would impact a hockey player that leaves their team after only two months.  

Staff responded that they don’t expect there will be any noticeable changes, as many billets have agreements with their host club, and the city will not fine homeowners if a player leaves early due to a trade or injury. 

The moves fall into line with provincial legislation released last year, which limits short-term rentals to a homeowner’s primary residence and secondary suite. 

The rules, which go into effect on May 1, apply to all cities with a population of more than 10,000 people — unless the municipality has had a vacancy rate of more than three per cent for two straight years.

As the May 1 deadline creeps closer, the legislation has caused an uproar for some municipalities across B.C. that cite the importance of tourism and short-term workers to their local economy. 

Port Coquitlam had a vacancy rate of 0.4 per cent in 2022, according to data from Metro Vancouver. 

A more recent survey by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, published in October 2023, reported that the vacancy rate in the Tri-Cities stood at 0.5 per cent.  

Despite the low vacancy rate, the number of short-term rental accommodations in the Tri-Cities is growing. 

In September, The Dispatch reported that short-term rental listings in the region grew by 45 per cent in one year. And rentals in Port Coquitlam, specifically, has steadily increased over the past five years, according to a report to council. 

There were 114 short-term rentals in Port Coquitlam at the end of 2023, a jump from 72 in 2018. 

“There seems to be quite a few AirBnb’s in Port Coquitlam,” said Ben Ricketts, a planning analyst at the city. 

Illegal short-term rentals are subject to a $1,000 fine under the city’s bylaw. However, the rules are only enforced when a complaint is issued to the city. Port Coquitlam has received eight short-term rental complaints over the last eight years. 

The city is actively looking to crack down to unpermitted rentals, according to staff. 

Changes to the zoning bylaw are expected to be discussed at an upcoming council meeting.