Administration presented their report on short-term rentals to the Standing Policy Committee (SPC) on Community and Protective Services (CPS). A video of the presentation is available, and begins at 7 min and 20 sec., with a Council debate at 2 hours and 20 min. The committee accepted Administration’s recommendations and added two more recommendations.
The recommendations are as follows:
That Council:
- Direct Administration to undertake work to create a new, tiered licence category in the Business Licence Bylaw 32M98 for Tourist Accommodation and bring forward amendments to this bylaw to Council through the SPC on Community and Protective Services no later than 2019 Q3;
- Direct Administration to revise the Lodging House licence category in the Business Licence Bylaw 32M98, to clarify the definition and scope for application to rooming, lodging, and boarding houses, and bring forward amendments to this bylaw to Council through the SPC on Community and Protective Services no later than 2019 Q3;
- Direct Administration to develop a public education campaign to be launched following approval of the above bylaw amendments;
- Direct Administration to continue its advocacy urging the Government of Alberta to deliver on its commitment to improve the administration of the existing Destination Marketing Fee to enhance transparency and accountability and create a level playing field with the application of the fee to short-term rentals as well as hotels; and
- Direct that any recommendations are resourced within the existing approved 4-year budget.
The recommendations above were then adopted by Council on December 17th.
Next Steps
Calgary Community Standards (CCS) will now move forward to the next phase of this project. The project team will be working with members of the industry and city staff to develop a tiered licence system for Tourist Accommodation, revising the Lodging House Licence category, and subsequent to changes, launch a public education campaign. Bylaw amendments will go before SPC on CPS in Q3 2019.