Latest news with #Kahlon
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Provincial housing minister praised NDP program during visit to Penticton
British Columbia's Minister of Housing believes the provincial NDP government has come up with a funding model program established only two years ago that will be followed by government leaders across the country to allow Canadians to remain in housing they can afford. During a stop in Penticton Thursday afternoon, Ravi Kahlon, the provincial Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, revealed details about B.C.'s Rental Protection Fund, established back in 2023. As part of the fund, the provincial government announced the purchase of 14 homes at a housing complex located at 680 Wade Avenue East, purchased by the Penticton and District Society for Community Living. Kahlon said hundreds of families, seniors and individuals now have certainty that they can stay in homes they can afford due to the new funding provided by the Rental Protection Fund. 'I would say that the fear that many British Columbians have is when they drive by an encampment, many British Columbians think 'could that be me',' said Kahlon. 'When they see a 'For Sale' sign in front of their building, they think how close I could be if I lose my housing to be in a vulnerable situation. 'So while we address issues like the encampment here in Penticton, we have to ensure that the housing stock that we have protects the people that need it. That's the beauty of this Rental Protection Fund. Over 50 per cent of all the buildings purchased or sold last year, were purchased by the Rental Protection Fund. That is a significant shift of housing into the not-for-profit housing space.' The fund is not only allowing the government to protect the housing needed to provide a home for so many who are struggling to survive, but also ensuring that people can live dignified lives, said Kahlon. Kahlon said he and his government believe funding like this, which allows those struggling to access housing that is accessible and affordable, is going to become a national model for tackling Canada's affordable housing crisis. 'This program, I can guarantee you, will be scaled across the country,' he said. 'It's not whether the federal government wants to or doesn't want to. They have no choice because the data and success we're seeing in British Columbia is clear. 'We have multiple communities in today's announcement, but the reason I wanted to do it in Penticton was because Mayor and Council here are showing all councils across the province that you can be an active participant to protect the vulnerable people in your community and I'm hoping that it inspires other communities to do the same thing, so we can continue to expand this program going into the future. 'My message to the federal Housing Minister (former Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson) is you don't need to spend time trying to figure it out, we have the solution. Just write us a cheque.' Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield, who attended Thursday's announcement with members of Council and senior city administration, had high praise for the program. 'Today's announcement highlights the success of our affordable housing pilot funding program,' he said. 'This program, along with our updated permissive tax-exemption policy, reflects our commitment to non-market housing and partnerships to protect affordable rentals so residents can stay in homes they can afford.' Raymond Kendell, a tenant in Penticton, was also ecstatic. 'I was worried I wouldn't find a place,' he said. 'It's expensive here in Penticton. I've lived here 4.5 years. I appreciate that the Penticton and District Society for Community Living improved our building. Most people in the building seem stress-free and much happier now.' Tarra Kenney, CEO, Penticton and District Society for Community Living (PDSCL), said the fund will help many people in Penticton and across the province. 'The acquisition of the apartments at 680 Wade Ave. E. in Penticton, made possible through the Rental Proection Fund (RPF), marks a significant step in ensuring affordable housing for our community,' she said. 'Thanks to this funding, PDSCL has been able to maintain lower rental rates, providing stability and accessibility for residents who need it most.' In the midst of a global housing affordability crisis and rising costs, the provincial NDP government is securing affordable housing that gives people stability and peace of mind to help them thrive in their communities, said Kahlon. 'When people lose their homes, it can be a real struggle to find another affordable rental and communities can lose the people who work in local businesses, schools and hospitals,' he said. 'We created the Rental Protection Fund to help people stay in the homes they can afford now and in the future.' To make sure more people throughout B.C. can remain in their homes affordably, the Rental Protection Fund has supported non-profit organizations to buy a total of 220 homes, including the 14 in Penticton. As well, they recently purchased: • Chilliwack: 85 homes at Camelot Apartments, bought by Affordable Housing Societies • Fort St. John: 18 homes at Alpine Lodge., and 24 homes at Grandview Townhomes., bought by Connective • Kamloops: 25 homes at Riverside Gardens, bought by Connective Kamloops • Prince George: 21 homes bought by More than a Roof Mennonite Housing Society • Vancouver: 33 homes in Abana Court., bought by the New Vista Society. To secure these homes, the Rental Protection Fund provided partners with more than $26 million in capital contributions and renewal grants, including approximately $2.3 million to improve the buildings and ensure the homes remain in good condition for the people living there, said Kahlon. 'We're safeguarding affordability for renters across the province in communities big and small,' said Katie Maslechko, CEO, Rental Protection Fund. 'These acquisitions show what's possible when governments, community housing providers and even residents work together to keep our housing Canadian and affordable through community ownership.' The homes range from studios to three bedrooms, and are suitable for the diverse needs of seniors, families and individuals. The homes are centrally located within walking distance of core services that people rely on, such as childcare, schools, parks and transit. 'I have lived here for the past eight years, and prior to the Penticton and District Society for Community Living acquiring the property, the uncertainty and constant worry about potentially having to move or paying one-third or more for rent elsewhere in the city was extremely unsettling,' said Vicki Rylander, a tenant in Penticton. 'Being on a limited income, such a change would have had a seriously negative impact on my financial stability.' The properties in this announcement are part of the nearly 1,600 homes protected through the fund since its launch in 2023. Based on its effect so far, the fund is on track to exceed its target of protecting 2,000 homes well ahead of schedule. The fund is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has nearly 92,000 homes delivered or underway, including more than 360 homes in Penticton. In January 2023, the Province made a historic initial investment of $500 million to establish the B.C. Rental Protection Fund. The fund provides one-time capital contributions to non-profit housing organizations so they can buy existing affordable rental buildings and co-operatives, protecting the people living there, safeguarding the units and keeping those units as affordable, long-term housing. On average, rents secured through the fund are 44 per cent lower than local market rates and are kept below market to ensure long-term affordability for people with low or moderate incomes. Rob Botterell, BC Green Party house leader; MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, praised the program. 'These projects show what's possible when communities and non-profits are given the tools to take housing off the speculative market,' he said. 'When we protect and expand affordable housing, we don't just solve the housing crisis - we make progress on health, education and economic stability. To create lasting change, we need continued and expanded support for protecting existing affordable homes.' Stephen Bennett, CEO, Affordable Housing Societies, was also pleased. 'We are grateful for the support of the Province through the Rental Protection Fund for our purchase of the Camelot apartments in Chilliwack,' he said. 'Because of this purchase, we have been able to ensure the residents of that building continue to have housing stability at rents they can afford.' Lee-Anne Michayluk, CEO, More Than A Roof Housing Society, credited the government for taking action on one of the most serious issues facing the province and its residents. 'This acquisition underscores our ongoing commitment to fostering strong, thriving communities by prioritizing sustainable and affordable housing solutions,' she said. 'We extend our appreciation to the RPF team and the provincial government as we work together to create lasting, positive impacts for current and future residents. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. 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Vancouver Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Kahlon rejects calls from some B.C. city councillors to restore the municipal auditor general
VICTORIA — Municipal Affairs Minister Ravi Kahlon was quick to dismiss calls this week for the province to restore an auditor general for local government. The New Democrats abolished the office after they took over from the B.C. Liberals. 'We're not bringing in additional measures,' said Kahlon. He argued that there is already sufficient oversight to catch financial abuse at municipal and regional governments. Yet the renewed calls for a municipal auditor general were prompted by high-profile cases of abuse that appear to have slipped through the cracks. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The RCMP is investigating the fate of $300,000 worth of gift cards gone missing in Richmond. Surrey is trying to recover $2.5 million in fraudulent transactions going back to 2017 and attributed to one employee. Still, Kahlon was not persuaded that Richmond and Surrey cases are by themselves sufficient cause to bring back the office, created by Christy Clark, and abolished by the New Democrats five years ago. 'We of course share concerns that are raised around these two particular situations,' he told Simi Sara on CKNW Wednesday. Even so, 'it is important to know that there are really strong financial oversight measures already with local governments. They are required to have all their financial statements made public. 'They're required to be audited by an independent body. In both these circumstances, their own systems caught the issue. 'It'll be investigated,' the minister continued. 'But their systems flagged that there were issues, and they were able to bring it to light.' 'Too often that important piece of the requirements, of audited statements, gets lost in the conversation,' said Kahlon, warming to his claim that the system worked as it was supposed to do. 'We are not going to rush to change a complete system for everyone because of a couple of incidents that were caught by the systems that they already have in place.' However, Kahlon version of events was disputed by Richmond councillor Kash Heed. 'The minister might want to check his facts,' Heed told the CBC. The CBC did extensive reporting on the Surrey fiasco. The Richmond gift card abuses only came to light publicly through persistent reporting by Catherine Urquhart of Global TV. Heed and several other councillors want Premier David Eby to restore a stand-alone municipal auditor general or at least expand the mandate of the provincial counterpart to include municipalities and regional districts. He made the call in an open letter co-signed with New Westminster councillors Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas and Burnaby's Richard Lee. Heed was a cabinet minister under the Liberals and Lee was an MLA. The quartet have since invited the public to sign an online petition. Meanwhile this week, Surrey Councillor Linda Annis repeated her earlier call for Surrey to establish its own auditor general. Council voted down her motion to that effect in 2021. 'In light of the allegations that our city was defrauded of some $2.5 million by a former employee, I will be bringing back my original motion,' Annis said in a news release. 'I want our city to have the expertise that comes with an independent auditor general, an office that can look at every part of operations. The theft of $2.5 million is no small thing.' Heed noted that an auditor general for local government could provide answers for municipalities and regional government, rather than each having to establish its own such office. He also cited the $3 billion-and-counting overrun on the North Shore wastewater treatment plant as another case where an independent auditor could answer some of the questions mired in bureaucracy and litigation. A Deloitte report this week disclosed the extent to which recriminations over the wastewater treatment plant have generated 'extreme tensions' and a climate of 'mistrust' inside Metro Vancouver. The report goes to Metro council on Friday. Kahlon says the province will wait to see what emerges from that meeting before considering any action on its own. 'It really comes down to what options they discuss and what they think is a good solution,' he told the radio audience. 'We'll be engaging with them after their conversation Friday. It's in everyone's interest to address the governance challenges that they have as quick as possible.' NDP premier John Horgan abolished the auditor general for local government, having promised to do so before he took office in a speech to the Union of B.C. Municipalities. 'I believe that people in your communities will advise you if you are spending money poorly and they will advise you by removing you from office,' Horgan told local government leaders. When Horgan kept the promise in 2020, mayors and councillors hailed the decision as a gesture to restore local autonomy. Ironically, Horgan's successor, David Eby, with his housing legislation, has grabbed far more power from local government than Christy Clark ever did. He proposes to do the same with Bill 15, the Infrastructure Projects Act now before the house. In retrospect, bringing back a provincially funded auditor general for local government would be a minor and perhaps welcome encroachment on local autonomy. vpalmer@
Vancouver Sun
14-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
As Canada's new housing minister, Vancouver ex-mayor Gregor Robertson faces daunting challenge
With Gregor Robertson sworn in as Canada's new minister for housing and infrastructure, many in his home province hope Ottawa will overhaul funding rules so that more dollars flow west. During this year's federal election, the Conservatives blasted Robertson for what they called his 'failed record as mayor of Vancouver' from 2008 to 2018, a period of increases in home prices, rents, and housing taxes. Prime Minister Carney, who recruited Robertson to run federally, said Tuesday the former mayor brings 'the type of experience' needed to help tackle Canada's housing crisis. Carney said Robertson was part of the team that developed the Liberal housing policy, which aims to reduce municipal costs and get 'regulation out of the way' to help build more homes. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Municipal and regional charges on housing have been a major source of friction between levels of government. Former federal housing minister Sean Fraser inserted himself into the debate in 2023 when he urged Metro Vancouver directors to reconsider large fee hikes for residential construction, warning they could jeopardize badly needed new housing. Metro directors — locally elected mayors and councillors — argued they had no other way to fund billions of dollars in infrastructure needs. B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon encouraged the Metro directors to consider Fraser's request, but also said that if Fraser was worried about increased development fees, Ottawa should pony up more infrastructure funding. On Tuesday, Kahlon said he will make a similar pitch to Robertson. B.C.'s first ask for the new federal government, Kahlon said, will be to ensure the province receives a fair share of funding for housing and infrastructure, commensurate with the amount of population growth coming from immigration, another federal responsibility. 'It's not a complaint that we've had about not getting funding. It's a reality. When we see the dollars that have flown to Ontario and Quebec, compared to what has come to British Columbia, it's significant. We're hoping that will change,' Kahlon said Tuesday in Victoria. 'We need to ensure there's fair infrastructure dollars. … We need to be sure there's investments in affordable housing, Indigenous housing, replacing SROs. The list is long, and I'm looking forward to meeting with him (Robertson) and getting to work.' Many developers agree about the need to rethink the way Ottawa supports infrastructure in fast-growing urban centres. 'The growth challenges in the major markets have outgrown the tools that municipalities have to solve them,' said Brad Jones, chief development officer at Wesgroup Properties, a major residential developer in B.C. 'They have a fairly limited tool kit from a financing perspective, and we need new tools, clearly.' 'We have to have a funding-growth conversation in Canada,' Jones said, adding that Robertson's appointment to the housing and infrastructure portfolio, and his past experience as mayor of Vancouver, could provide a 'really good opportunity' to tackle that problem. In 2008 when Robertson was elected mayor and his Vision Vancouver party swept to the first of three council majorities, very little purpose-built rental housing was being built in Vancouver. In 2010 and 2011, a total of zero rental units were built. Over the ensuing years, Vision implemented policies intended to encourage develops to build more rental homes, ultimately having some success. In recent years, Vancouver's construction industry has shifted toward producing far more rental homes. 'I don't think he gets enough credit for how successful those programs were in getting rental housing construction going,' Jones said. 'It was incredibly creative and really impactful. … And there was no provincial or federal funding whatsoever, that was municipal creativity.' Not everyone in B.C. was impressed with Robertson's appointment. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said while he was happy to see B.C. representation in cabinet, he had questions about Robertson taking the housing portfolio. 'I'm not quite sure that he would be the person I would've put in to a position like that, given his record in Vancouver,' Rustad said. Mike Magee, who served as Robertson's chief of staff from 2008 to 2016, said that while Vancouver faced significant housing challenges in those years, many other cities around the globe also experienced major cost rises at the same time. Magee, who supported Robertson's federal run this year, said that Robertson and Vision deserve credit for doing what they could with limited municipal powers and an unhelpful Conservative federal government. During the Vision years, Vancouver introduced several measures that were emulated by other governments, including zoning reforms, programs to boost rental housing, and Canada's first empty homes tax, Magee said. Nicole Brassard, vice-chair of the Liberal Party of Canada in B.C., said: 'Having a strong advocate for B.C. in Ottawa is more important than ever, and we couldn't have asked for a better choice for this role.' Robertson, who also becomes minister responsible for Pacific economic development, joins one other British Columbian in the new cabinet. Delta MP Jill McKnight will be minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence. Three B.C. MPs were named junior cabinet ministers: Surrey Centre MP Randeep Sarai is secretary of state for international development, Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke MP Stephanie McLean is secretary of state for seniors, and Kelowna's Stephen Fuhr is secretary of state for defence procurement. Re-elected North Vancouver-Capilano MP Jonathan Wilkinson, who held cabinet positions in Justin Trudeau's government and was considered a likely candidate for cabinet again, was left out. Robertson is also remembered in Vancouver for announcing, while running for mayor in 2008, a target of ending street homelessness by 2015. Although the number of people sleeping outdoors declined in Robertson's early years in office as new social housing and shelter capacity were added, by the time he left office in 2018 the homeless population had grown significantly. Kahlon, the B.C. housing minister, was asked Tuesday about Robertson's stated goal of ending street homelessness. 'I'll never criticize any elected official who puts their hand up to say: 'I'm going to try to address homelessness,'' he said. 'We know how challenging it is, and that's why elected officials have hid from the idea of wanting to take responsibility and step up. We need more leadership. We need people to step up.' 'I have faith in what the prime minister has laid out around key investments they're going to make in housing,' Kahlon said. 'Now the question is: do they deliver on those commitments?' With files from Alec Lazenby and The Canadian Press dfumano@
Global News
06-05-2025
- General
- Global News
Lake Okanagan Resort condo owners left in limbo after West Kelowna, B.C fire
Two years after the devastating McDougall Creek fire burned down the majority of Lake Okanagan Resort, displaced residents struggle to rebuild as red tape delays recovery. Heather Ormiston called her second-floor condo unit, overlooking Okanagan Lake, her retirement plan. Now, all that remains of Ormiston's condo is a barren patch of rocks and gravel. 'It was an investment property — every dollar of our savings went into buying this for our future,' said Ormiston. The fire destroyed 90 per cent of the resort, and dozens of displaced residents, including Ormiston, are still stuck in limbo. Unable to begin rebuilding, they face red tape that has kept them from moving forward. Maria Hart, another condo owner, says, 'It's so frustrating. We're still paying condo fees and taxes, some people are paying mortgages, and we don't have a home we're paying for. We have so much money tied up in that.' Story continues below advertisement The stalled recovery is taking a financial and emotional toll on the residents. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy If the stalemate continues, the BC Homeowners Condominium Association warns the dispute could end up in court. 'After a year it usually means the parties affected will have to go into court to either get the courts to order the repairs to resolve this problem,' said Executive Director of the BC Condominiums Association, Tony Gioventu. Frustrated by the lack of action, Ormiston questions why the government isn't stepping in to force the resort owners to restore utilities. 'For the government to push us into litigating over something they should be enforcing is despicable,' she says. But BC's housing minister, Ravi Kahlon, says the province's hands are tied, calling it a private matter. 'We actually don't have any ability to compel the owners to comply with the strata council. We've recommended that the individuals impacted will need to resolve this through the courts,' said Kahlon. Lake Okanagan Resort was purchased by a buyer from China in 2014, and the current owners did not respond to a request for comment. Kahlon adds, 'In this case, an overseas owner has control, and we don't have the ability to intervene from the province.' Story continues below advertisement As the residents continue to wait, they are left with more questions than answers, wondering if they will ever see the support they need to rebuild their homes and their futures.
CBC
24-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Has B.C.'s short-term rental crackdown made housing cheaper?
Social Sharing Marv Gandall says living in one of Victoria's largest residential buildings a year ago meant a parade of people with suitcases, stuffed visitors parking and slow elevators. Gandall, who has lived in the Era on Yates complex for a decade, described long waits, packages going missing and scratched walls from the high number of visitors using some of its 157 units as short-term rentals. He said residents began to call their building a "ghost hotel." "The major concern was the disruption, the maintenance issues and the issue of theft. We did have more frequent break-ins in our storage lockers," he said. "There was some vandalism in the parkade, and we think that was also because when you have short-term renters, it's much easier for short-term renters to have other people access the building." In the year since British Columbia implemented regulations cracking down on short-term rentals, Gandall said things had improved, and it appeared more Era units were being used long term. But it hasn't completely prevented people from trying to dodge the rules. "My impression is that since the passage of the provincial legislation last May, coupled with some initiatives by the local city council, there has been a dip in the noticeable (short-term rental) activity, not only at the Era, but also when I've spoken to other concerned residents in some of the other major highrises," he said. Housing minister declares victory. Experts warn it's not that simple The regulations that came into effect on May 1, 2024, cover most communities of more than 10,000 people. They restrict short-term rentals to principal residences, a secondary suite or a structure like a laneway house on the property. B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon is declaring victory, pointing to dropping rents and thousands of units being removed from websites like Airbnb and VRBO. But experts say market forces are too complex to credit one factor for the changes. Kahlon said thousands of properties that used to be on short-term-rental websites are now on the market or being used as long-term rentals. "All my colleagues have stories from their communities of people that are moving into what used to be a short-term rental and is now available for families long term," the minister said in an interview earlier this month. "And we're seeing rents come down across the province, in every community." Property owners have until May 1 to add their properties to a provincewide registry in order to be able to legally use them for short-term rental. Kahlon said about 15,000 properties were on the registry at the beginning of April, and his office reported more than $3 million had been collected in registration fees. "Before the registry was launched, we estimated roughly about 22,000 short-term rentals were on the different platforms. We have 15,000 that are registered to date, so that we [have] about 7,000 operators that either haven't applied or perhaps have decided not to stay in the business of short-term rental operating. So that's significant," he said. Hosts who do not register their properties will have their listings taken down starting May 1, and have future bookings cancelled starting June 1. Short-term rental restrictions in B.C. working, new research suggests 7 months ago Duration 7:08 David Wachsmuth, an assistant professor of urban planning at McGill University, has released a report commissioned by the B.C. Hotel Association he says shows the province's short-term rental rules are working. He says the number of active short-term rentals in B.C. has dropped by nearly 16 per cent (15.8%) since the restrictions came into effect this past May. Wachsmuth conducted the research as a freelancer outside of his position with the university. Data provided by the Ministry of Housing shows that from May 2024 to February 2025, many communities saw a significant drop in the number of entire properties listed on short-term rental sites. The ministry says such listings in the City of Kelowna dropped 31 per cent, while those in Victoria dropped 24 per cent and Vancouver listings dropped 22 per cent. The communities also saw an increase in vacancy rates from 2023 to 2024, according to the data. Some rents fall, but not everywhere Numbers published by the website show the average rent in B.C. was down 0.6 per cent year-over-year in March, based on listings posted on the site, while Vancouver saw a 5.7 per cent drop. It was the 16th straight decline in apartment rents in the city, which has had various short-term rental rules since 2018, although it remains the most expensive place in Canada to rent. The website's monthly report says average asking rents in Canada fell 2.8 per cent to $2,119 in March. Rent for apartments in Toronto was down 6.9 per cent, the 14th consecutive decline in the city, which also recently implemented restrictions on short-term rentals. But it hasn't been one-way movement. Rent in Victoria was up three per cent in March. And in February, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation forecast that while B.C. would see higher vacancy rates over the next few years due to lower population growth, average rents would rise as more new, higher-priced units come to market. The corporation's most recent rental market report, for fall 2024, said average Vancouver rent for a two-bedroom apartment was up 5.5 per cent in October from a year earlier, although that rate of growth had slowed. Andy Yan, director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University, said while some data suggests rent and condo prices have gone down, there are too many competing factors to be able to specifically credit the short-term rental rules. Other factors could include interest rates, the general economic situation, or changes in immigration, he said. "There's a lot of noise trying to figure out what the signal looks like. And I think that that's the big challenge, really trying to filter through what has happened in the one year since B.C. adopted the short-term rental laws," he said. Will Gladman, with the Vancouver Tenants Union, said its members haven't been reporting rent decreases, but rather "quite reliably" are being hit with increases. He said even if some numbers suggest rents are dropping slightly, the cost to live in the city remains very high. "[It's] still unbelievably expensive and way out of reach, even for people making a pretty decent income in the city," he said. Gladman said the group didn't expect the changes to short-term rentals to make a significant difference, though they are in favour of any improvements that don't involve displacing people from their homes. "Those were units that, from our perspective, were wasted and are now becoming homes for people. So obviously, that's positive," he said. "But when you have a provincial government that is trying to rely on these kinds of supply-side tweaks, and nonetheless to rely on the market to provide some kind of an affordable housing strategy, we would never expect it to go very far." Brendon Ogmundson, chief economist for the B.C. Real Estate Association, said while the government's goal of increasing housing supply is understandable, the rules may have done more harm than good overall, considering the impact on tourism. He said decreases in rents have more to do with factors like new units hitting the market and population growth falling, particularly among groups with high demand for rentals, such as international students and temporary foreign workers. "[It's] hard to determine how much of an impact [the new law has had]. My guess is pretty small. It's certainly impacting things in tourism. It's a lot more expensive to get a hotel now in a lot of areas. There's not a lot of choice. But I don't think it's had a major impact on things like rental affordability," he said. In Victoria, Gandall worried that as hotel prices climbed, the government may be tempted to roll back some short-term rental rules. In an interview this week with CHEK News, B.C. Premier David Eby said when the province gets "back to healthy rental levels in communities," the government would reduce restrictions on short-term rentals. Gandall said Airbnbs still run in his building. He also suspects not everyone is being honest when they claim a unit as their primary residence. But Kahlon said the government goes through a lengthy process to confirm whether a short-term rental qualifies. The minister said there will always be people looking for ways to break the rules, but that the fines — $5,000 a day for those who are caught — are a significant deterrent. "I think that we're going to see other provinces that are going to move down the same direction as us," he said. "And we're hearing from our local government partners in particular that this system is working much better in their communities, and we're going to continue down this path because it's the right thing to do to ensure people have access to affordable housing in our communities."
