Montreal is cracking down on short-term rentals, limiting when residents can rent their homes to help tackle housing issues.
Starting June 10, residents can only rent their homes on platforms like Airbnb until September 10, with a few exceptions. It’s a move to tackle the issue of illegal listings, which the city says are still a big problem.
Despite previous efforts, over half of the 4,000 units on these platforms are not listed legally. The city is hoping these new rules will help bring some of those units back into the long-term rental market.
This change comes after a tragic incident last year where seven people lost their lives in a fire at an illegal rental in Old Montreal. The city’s current rules have been tough to enforce, so they’re making it easier to issue fines.
Now, operators will need to prove they’re following the law, which should help clear up some of the confusion. The goal is to ease the housing crisis and make sure more apartments are available for long-term renters.
