Those hoping to visit the Island during this summer’s FIFA World Cup games in Vancouver and Seattle may find a few more Airbnb listings than expected. On Jan. 20, View Royal approved a motion green-lighting a two-month moratorium on its ban on short-term rentals. Coun. Don Brown, who tabled the motion, said the move could help draw World Cup fans to the region, all while benefiting local restaurants, bars, shops, tourist attractions and golf courses. “People are going to come before the games and after the games and they’re going to want to visit the Pacific Northwest, including southern Vancouver Island,” he said. “We are a tourist attraction. Tourism is big business. This could bring in potentially millions of dollars.” The World Cup takes place from June 11 to July 19 and will offer 104 matches. Seven of those will be played in Vancouver, while Seattle is slated to host six others. View Royal’s short-term rental pause will last between June 1 and July 31. On top of a boost to businesses, Brown noted the move could also help residents earn cash renting out spare rooms. “There’s a lot of people who are empty-nesters – their children have moved, they’ve got empty space in their house,” he said. “People that have big mortgages, they may want a mortgage helper for that period of time.” While Couns. Damian Kowalewich, Gery Lemon, Ron Mattson and John Rogers voted in favour of Brown’s motion, Coun. Alison MacKenzie spoke against the pause. “I think there could be risks of complaints around parking and things like that – a lot of confusion as well,” she said. She also noted locals might not rent out their homes because “there’s a lot that goes into doing an Airbnb,” adding that “it’s likely going to be those people who are already doing it illegally who will continue to do it.” At a meeting in December, a member of the town’s staff said those hoping to operate short-term rentals during the World Cup would require business licences and that the town would need to register stays with the province. Mayor Sid Tobias also expressed concerns about the pause and how it might impact those looking for a place to live in View Royal. “I’m more concerned about the folks that can’t afford an apartment,” he said. “I don’t think we’re out of the woods yet for our housing affordability.” This comes as Vancouver rejected a change to its short-term rental restrictions, even as thousands of soccer fans are expected to pour into the city in June. A Deloitte report commissioned by Airbnb projected that it could result in an accommodation shortfall of 70,000 nights “over the most critical nine-day period of the tournament.” While communities across Greater Victoria, including Highlands, Langford, Victoria and Oak Bay, allow short-term rentals, View Royal is one of the few that prohibit them alongside Colwood and North Saanich.
More
Less
