Quebec bill tightens rules for Airbnb, short-term rentals

Quebec tabled a bill Tuesday aimed at combating illegal short-term accommodations.

Bill 25, tabled by Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx, aims to create a registry for tourist accommodations, and rental units would need a certificate from the province.

The bill prohibits online ads for short-term properties that do not share the registration number or the expiry date of the registration certificate.

Advocates have been asking for Airbnb to be changed – and in some cases completely banned – after seven people were killed in a fire in Old Montreal in mid-March. Six of the victims were staying in unlicensed short-term rentals.

The father of one of the victims filed a request for a $22 million class-action lawsuit against the owner of the building and Airbnb.

Advocates have claimed Airbnb also exacerbates the province’s housing situation.

Shortly after the fire, Airbnb committed to removing illegal listings in Quebec.

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Proulx’s bill Tuesday also imposes various obligations on the operators of a digital platform, such as Airbnb, including obtaining and keeping the registration certificate for tourist accommodations on their platforms, and validating the establishment’s registration number. It also requires a designated person established in Quebec as representative.

The public registry of tourist accommodations will be kept by the Ministry of Tourism or an organization recognized by the Ministry.

The new legislation would carry fines for those who break the rules.

—With files from The Canadian Press