Montreal limits short-term rentals like Airbnb to summer months

Benjamin Shingler · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 2:59 PM EDT | Last Updated: 22 minutes ago

Montreal has enactment successful spot caller rules that volition bounds astir short-term rentals to the summertime months successful an effort to easiness the city's shortage of affordable housing.

Under a caller bylaw adopted Tuesday, rentals done sites similar Airbnb volition beryllium permitted crossed the metropolis betwixt June 10 and Sept. 10. The remainder of the year, they volition lone beryllium allowed successful registered units within a tiny portion permitted by the city.

Alia Hassan-Cournol, a Projet Montréal city councillor liable for economical development, said the changes volition marque more apartments disposable for semipermanent renters, and that hotels tin regenerate the enactment of renting an Airbnb.

The metropolis volition beryllium monitoring the interaction of the bylaw and marque changes if necessary, she said.

Montreal has struggled to get a grip connected short-term rentals, contempt attempts to further bounds amerciable rentals pursuing a fatal occurrence successful Old Montreal successful 2023.

WATCH | 2 years aft deadly Old Montreal fire, victim's families inactive waiting for answers:

According to the city, much than fractional of astir 4,000 units presently disposable connected the short-term rental marketplace are illegal. The changes could truthful escaped up 2,000 units to the semipermanent rental market.

Previously, it was up to inspectors to stitchery grounds and bring a lawsuit against a spot owner, who was presumed innocent. Now, akin to postulation offences, spot owners volition person to contention fines.

Inspectors volition beryllium capable to contented $1,000 fines straight to offenders for each time the rules are broken. Additional fines of $2,000 whitethorn besides beryllium issued for each time of recidivism.

Airbnb calls determination 'shortsighted'

In a statement, Alex Howell, a typical for Airbnb Canada, called the connection "extreme and shortsighted" and said it would hurt "industries that trust connected tourism year-round similar retail, restaurants, and other tiny businesses."

Airbnb declined an interrogation request.

David Wachsmuth, an municipality readying prof astatine McGill University, said the changes will make it easier for the metropolis to enforce the rules portion not "completely destroying" the short-term rental market, which is busiest during the summer.  

"If anybody is operating an Airbnb successful Montreal successful February, the metropolis knows without a azygous inspection that it is illegal. That is going to marque enforcement truthful overmuch easier," helium said.

Julien Hénault-Ratelle, Ensemble Montréal's housing critic, said the caller rules should besides see an exemption during wintertime months, from Dec. 15 to March 15.

"We spot that determination is simply a request successful presumption of having entree to a short-term rental during this period," helium said.