Île-Bizard residents shocked by hefty fines for trying to rent out homes during Presidents Cup
10 hours ago
Duration 2:53
Social Sharing
Patricia McIntyre was getting ready to ring in the new year with family and friends at her home in Île-Bizard when there was a knock at the door.
To her surprise, she was greeted by a bailiff who handed her a pair of envelopes. Inside there was a stack of papers from Revenue Québec explaining in detail how she had violated the province's short-term rental rules and that she and her husband were now facing fines of $3,750 each.
"To me, this is very predatory and the government is acting in bad faith," McIntyre says.
McIntyre never actually rented out her home, but in the lead-up to the Presidents Cup, hosted at Royal Montreal Golf Club last September, she decided to post it online with a short-term rental website that was recommended by the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA). With large crowds expected and streets closed to traffic, she thought it would be a good opportunity.
She didn't have a tourism registration number, or CITQ, and says the site, Rent Like A Champion, never gave her any indication that she might be breaking local laws. But she knew that if she rented, there would be taxes to pay.
"If we would have [rented], yeah, I'd call the government and find out what the protocol is, how do we proceed," she said.
"But just for simply putting your house on a website, to me it's shocking that they can get you for this."
Multiple homeowners who posted but didn't rent targeted
McIntyre has since learned that she is not alone in her frustration. She says she knows of at least nine other homeowners in the area who were targeted by Revenue Québec investigators during the lead-up to the Presidents Cup. None appear to have successfully found someone to rent their house.
Aisha Lasarni paid $250 US to post her home on Accommodation For The Event — a site based out of Ireland that caters to golf fans looking to stay close to golf tournament venues.
She was served papers this week and was stunned to see that the province was coming after her and her husband for a total of $7,500. Lasari says she only posted her home because she was hoping to leave town during the tournament to avoid the crowds and traffic.
She also says she didn't know she was violating provincial rules.
"I mean we're not used to renting houses here," Lasari says. "We're not downtown where we have condos where there's the Jazz Festival, where we rent out our houses, where we're infringing on the housing market," she said.
Like McIntyre, Lasarni's house was not rented.
"It's not a slap on the wrist of $500 [that says], 'hey, you should have known that you need a permit.' I mean for a garage sale you need a permit but you don't need a permit if you're thinking of having a garage sale."
Revenue Québec accused of acting in bad faith
The case files that Lasari and McIntyre received outlining their offences are dozens of pages long. There are photos of the listings, their home from multiple angles and pages of notes taken by Revenue Québec investigators.
"It's not right. It's unjust. I mean how can you do this to people? I'm sure they spent thousands of dollars creating these files against us," McIntyre says.
In Lasari's case, there is also a photo of a text message showing someone, possibly a Revenue Québec investigator, inquiring about the availability of their home.
"To be honest, it felt like it was a bit of an invasion, some kind of an entrapment. Like they went through such an effort to investigate our little island, a little island that is not used to seeing any tourists," Lasarni said.
The pair says they understand that short-term rentals are creating issues in some parts of Montreal but argue that homeowners in Île-Bizard are not who the government should be focusing its resources on.
Revenue Québec spokesperson Mylène Gagnon says fines for violating the Tourist Accommodation Act range from $500 to $50,000 for individuals and that the rules are listed on the government's website. Any failure to display a registration number on a listing, even if the lodging is not rented, is subject to fines ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
Lasarni says she understands that being unaware of a law is not a valid excuse for violating it, but she argues that since Île-Bizard is not an area that typically has many visitors, that the agency could have acted with more empathy and at least tried to warn residents that they needed a CITQ number instead of silently building a case against them.
"What happened to caring for your citizens? I mean show a little care," Lasarni says.
Borough could have warned us, residents say
McIntyre also maintains that the borough of Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève could have done more to prevent the situation.
"The City of Montreal did send us letters indicating where we were allowed to park, in my case indicating that my street would be locked down, so I don't see why they didn't warn us at the same time," she said.
Borough Mayor Doug Hurley says he is aware of the situation but declined to comment further because the issue falls under the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
Revenue Québec says it can't say exactly how many homes were investigated for violations in Île-Bizard during the Presidents Cup because it does not break down its data by municipality.
According to the agency's website, there were a total of 702 inspections in Montreal between April 1 and December 31, 2024. Some 223 cases were filed leading to 193 convictions and $984,527 in fines collected.
"They should have an obligation to simply warn us and tell us, 'you're not within the confines of the law and you have 24 hours to remove your house from the website.' I guarantee you 100 per cent of us would have removed our homes," McIntrye says.
The PGA confirmed to CBC that they do have a relationship with Rent Like A Champion but declined to comment any further on the situation. Rent Like A Champion did not respond to CBC's request for comment.
Accommodation For The Event founder and accommodation manager, Brian Higgins, said that in his opinion, it is "in poor taste" for the government of Quebec to fine his clients, especially if they don't successfully rent their home.
He added his site is in no way affiliated with the PGA and added that this is made clear in the terms and conditions every user agrees to before posting.
McIntryre, meanwhile, has a message for any homeowners who may have posted their homes for rent without a registration number in the lead-up to the Presidents Cup and have not yet been fined.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Calgary Herald
11 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Trade partners grow restless waiting for Trump's tariff breaks
Article content Cecilia Malmström, the former European commissioner for trade who's now a nonresident fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, cautioned that any delays may be purely administrative. Article content But 'if nothing happens, there will be huge pressure on the European Commission to retaliate or to act in some way, especially from carmakers in Germany, Italy, France, Sweden and others,' she said. 'There are so many other things that are vague in the EU-US deal — and in the others as well — so it is likely we will see forever negotiations and a lot of filibustering.' Article content At a press briefing on Aug. 14, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Washington and Brussels are finalizing a joint statement. 'The US has made political commitments to us in this respect and we look forward to them being implemented,' he said. Article content Japan's Uncertainty Article content Article content Less than a week before the EU's announcement, the US and Japan clinched a surprise deal on July 22 that lowered across-the-board tariffs and car levies to 15%. So far the broader duties have been implemented but the added tax on autos remains at 25%. Article content Officials in Asia's No. 2 economy are waiting for an executive order from Trump to bring down the car levies, as well as an official directive — like the EU already received — to clarify that the universal tariffs don't stack on top of existing duties. Article content Akazawa has mentioned how a Japanese carmaker is losing ¥100 million ($680,000) every hour due to the tariffs. Article content Last month Nissan Motor Corp. said it foresaw a ¥300 billion hit from the lower tariff rate, down from a previous estimate of ¥450 billion. But Chief Executive Officer Ivan Espinosa has warned of the difficulties in giving an accurate forecast as long as it's unclear when the tariffs will take effect and in what way. Article content Article content Akazawa flew to the US earlier this month to confirm that the US will be adjusting its executive order soon to remove the stacking, and pay back overcharges on tariffs. Neither has yet to materialize. Article content Hyundai, Kia Article content Facing similar questions is South Korea, which announced a trade agreement with Washington on July 31. That pact would impose a 15% tariff on imports to the US, including autos, alongside a $350 billion Korean investment pledge focused on shipbuilding, and $100 billion in energy purchases. Article content The 15% universal tariff took effect earlier this month under Trump's order, but like Japan, the sectoral auto tariff remain at 25%. While South Korea's exports overall have stayed resilient in the first half of the year, thanks to front-loading by companies anticipating higher US tariffs, the value of car shipments to the US fell nearly 17%, and steel exports dropped more than 11%, trade data showed. Article content South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Corp. could face as much as $5 billion in additional costs this year even under the new 15% auto tariff, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Joanna Chen. While avoiding a 25% levy will save more than $3 billion, the duty squeezes margins amid softer demand and tighter subsidies, intensifying competition with Japanese automakers, Chen said. Article content Korean President Lee Jae Myung's planned summit with Trump on Aug. 25 — their first meeting since Lee took office in June — will test the durability of the $350 billion investment pledge, as well as their alliance over sensitive issues like defense spending, US troop levels and North Korea policy. Article content 'Just Overwhelmed' Article content For Starmer and the UK, most aspects of the pact have now come into force, including a 10% so-called reciprocal rate that's the lowest among all US trading partners. Yet Trump's 25% tax on British steel still chafes amid the delays in cutting it. Article content Article content Among the issues to resolve is the US's insistence that steel should be melted and poured in the UK in order to qualify. That's a requirement which Tata Steel UK, one of the country's biggest producers, is no longer able to fulfill after closing down its blast furnace last year. Its new electric arc furnace is not due to be ready until late 2027. Article content People familiar with the government's thinking are cautiously optimistic they might be able to secure exemptions to the melt-and-pour rule, whereby steel imported from certain European countries before being further processed in the UK is allowed to qualify as British. Article content 'It's not for lack of trying by the UK government,' said Tim Rutter, director of public affairs at Tata Steel. 'We hear that US departments are just overwhelmed.' Article content A spokesperson for the UK Department for Business and Trade said officials will continue to work with Washington to implement the deal as soon as possible. Article content Article content Late on Friday in Washington, the US Customs and Border Protection agency issued new inclusions to steel and aluminum product lists for tariffs that take effect Monday, with some of the guidance affecting imports from the UK. Article content Japan's Akazawa acknowledged that even with the UK, actual implementation of key parts of their deal took 54 days. As a result, he's said that it's 'not bad' if an executive order from the US comes by around mid-September. Article content 'It's just further confirmation that negotiations never really end,' especially with more US tariffs coming for sectors including pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, said Sam Lowe, a partner at Flint Global in London and head of its trade and market access practice.
National Post
12 hours ago
- National Post
Waning cross-border travel hurting Canada's already beleaguered duty-free industry
Article content Article content Barrett added that duty-free stores are often a microcosm of what is happening at the border. Article content 'This should be our busy season during the summer, but it is not; it is pandemic-level traffic in the parking lots, and it has led to one store closing in the east. We are unfortunately afraid that we will likely see more closures as we draw to the end of the summer,' she said. Article content Unlike airport stores, which are often owned by international companies, Barrett noted all of the land border stores are independently owned and are often family-run businesses. While Canadians shun U.S. trips, travel expert Claire Newell said many are opting for domestic and other international destinations. Article content 'We live in a country where it's still very expensive to travel domestically. And while there are many people who are choosing to travel within Canada, we also see more people heading to popular destinations,' she said. Article content She said she doesn't see Canadians changing their travel habits back to normal until there is a trade deal 'that feels fair.' Article content Article content As lower border traffic weighs on the industry, Barrett said she is advocating for 'small regulatory changes.' Article content 'We have some taxes on our products that, believe it or not, in a tax- and duty-free industry that our U.S. competitors don't have. So we're asking for those to be changed so we can be more competitive,' she said. Article content 'Also, we're asking to qualify for some of these tariff relief programs or pandemic-level supports along the lines of what they did during the pandemic with wage subsidy or rent subsidy.' Article content Article content Barrett said the government is the landlord for many duty-free stores and said a rent deferral or subsidy would help the industry until travel patterns normalize. She added that there have been conversations between her organization and senior government officials. Article content Barrett said those officials agreed the association was putting forward 'small asks' to support the industry. Article content An Aug. 2 release announcing the Woodstock Duty Free Shop's closure mentioned that the federal and provincial governments had promised tariff relief support programs to help businesses impacted by trade tensions. Article content Article content 'I pinned a lot of hopes on those when both levels of government made those announcements. I was reminded of the pandemic support programs,' Slipp said, adding that his business had benefited from such programs. Article content His attention has now turned to advocating for rent deferral programs for duty-free shops renting land from either the federal government or from a bridge authority as well as loan programs for duty-free stores. Article content When he looks at the future of the industry, he said the prospects 'are not bright.' Article content 'I'm grieving the loss of my business, but I'm also accepting the reality that the business environment has changed and there is nothing in the bag of tricks that would suggest positive changes in this industry in the short to medium term,' Slipp said. Article content 'I'm feeling bad that I was not able to succeed in the end and that I am having to lay to rest this business that my father and I have built and spent so many years working so hard on.' Article content
Canada News.Net
13 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Birkenstock, Bugaboo, Coach thrive as rich Americans absorb hikes
LONDON, U.K.: For now, America's wealthier consumers appear unfazed by price increases on high-end products, from Birkenstock sandals to Bugaboo strollers, even as tariffs and economic uncertainty push brands to raise prices. German footwear brand Birkenstock has seen "tremendously strong" demand since introducing higher prices on July 1 to offset U.S. import tariffs, CEO Oliver Reichert told analysts this week. "We saw no pushback or cancellations," he said. The resilience mirrors trends across several premium brands. Bugaboo, the Dutch maker of strollers, high chairs, and playpens retailing for more than US$1,000, raised prices by $50 to $300 in May. "In general, we did not see any pushback," said Jeanelle Teves, Bugaboo's chief commercial officer for North America, noting retailers were "open and accepting" of the changes. Coach handbags have also remained popular, with parent company Tapestry reporting 4.6 million new North American customers this year, many from Gen Z and millennial demographics. CEO Joanne Kuvoiserat said the brand expects to maintain profit margins despite tariff pressures. Ralph Lauren likewise raised its annual revenue forecast as shoppers snapped up items like its $398 Polo Bear sweaters. However, CEO Patrice Louvet cautioned that price sensitivity in the second half remains a key unknown. Bank of America data supports the picture of steady luxury spending. The bank reported that middle—and upper-income cardholders spent more in July than a year earlier, even as spending by lower-income customers stayed flat. The bank noted that lower-income households account for only 15 percent of U.S. consumer spending, meaning overall demand could remain strong if higher-income spending holds up. However, some signs of caution are emerging. Procter & Gamble, maker of Tide detergent, noted that even wealthier consumers are becoming more selective in their purchases. Bugaboo manufactures in China and sells through retailers including Target, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's, as well as smaller independent stores. Coach's popular Tabby shoulder bag sells for $350, while Ralph Lauren's luxury apparel continues to command high prices. As brands watch the second half of the year unfold, the big question remains whether affluent shoppers will keep absorbing price hikes or begin to pull back in the face of a "broader pricing environment," Louvet said.
