[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[viper37]

A lot of people shouting cultural appropriation are white people guarding the cultures of others, which is often hilarious.

I made a joke about poutine to an Eastern Ontarian.  He was pissed off.  People have no sense of humor.

Ah, well.  Damn Anglos.

[Sheilbh]

Another article by a serious media organisation kicked off by the urgent need to discuss a Tweet

[Josquius]

Not Canada specific but isn't a big contributer to a decline in conservative numbers here the general conservative storm to the right meaning our sensible liberals are left quite marooned from what the world today knows as a conservative?

[Barrister]

Not Canada specific but isn't a big contributer to a decline in conservative numbers here the general conservative storm to the right meaning our sensible liberals are left quite marooned from what the world today knows as a conservative?

"Conservative numbers"?  Do you mean polling numbers?

Because the Conservative Party of Canada is killing it in the polls recently.

https://338canada.com/federal.htm

Conservatives 40, Liberals 28, NDP 18, Bloc 7, Greens 4, PPC 3

[Josquius]

Not Canada specific but isn't a big contributer to a decline in conservative numbers here the general conservative storm to the right meaning our sensible liberals are left quite marooned from what the world today knows as a conservative?

"Conservative numbers"?  Do you mean polling numbers?

Because the Conservative Party of Canada is killing it in the polls recently.

https://338canada.com/federal.htm

Conservatives 40, Liberals 28, NDP 18, Bloc 7, Greens 4, PPC 3

And on languish?

[crazy canuck]

It is what usually happens when interacting with BB.  If one describes the worst attributes of the right wing, he self identifies with that aspect of the right wing and assumes the dig is at him.

The fact he self identifies as being the target is often baffling but there it is.

You guys also seem to always react like you've never interacted with religious people before.

Really?  Can you give an example?

[crazy canuck]

The news and social media are full of "Airbnb operator says 'this will run my business!'" stories. There were reports that Airbnb was asking owners to contact their local MLAs to oppose the legislation too. So it seems like it'll have an impact on the business. It turns out there's limited sympathy for the operators' plight in the current discourse.

The question is to what degree it will impact the price and availability of rentals.

Enforcement is going to be an issue.

[Jacob]

Enforcement is going to be an issue.

Yeah a lot is going to hinge on how effective enforcement is after any initial panic subsides.

Is there anything in particular in the legislation (or missing from it) that makes you think enforcement will be less than adequate?

Some highlights from the BC gov't website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals

Increased fines and tickets
The maximum fine that regional districts can set for prosecutions of bylaw offences under the Offence Act will increase from $2,000 to $50,000.

...

Display of business license
Some local governments require a business license for a host to operate a short-term rental. In areas where a business license is required, short-term rental hosts will be required to display a valid business license number on their listing.

Platform accountability
If a listing does not include a valid business license, where a business license is required by the local government, the short-term rental platform must remove the listing at the request of the local government.

Data sharing
Local governments have been challenged with getting the data they need for bylaw enforcement. Under the new rules, short-term rental platforms will be required to share information about short-term listings with the Province. The Province can then share this information with local governments.

...

Provincial registry
The Province will establish a short-term rental registry. This will help ensure that short-term rental hosts and platforms are following the rules and provide local governments and the Province the information needed to follow up when they don't.

Hosts will be required to include a provincial registration number on their listing. They will also have to include their business license number, if a business license is required by the local government. Platforms will be required to validate registration numbers on host listings against the Province's registry data.

Provincial compliance and enforcement unit
In order to ensure the rules are being followed, the Province will establish a provincial compliance and enforcement unit. This unit will:

• Track compliance
• Issue orders
• Administer penalties for violations

...

Timeline
The regulations and responsibilities under the proposed Act will come into effect at different times over the next two years through a phased approach.

• Immediately after Royal Assent: Increased fines and tickets, business licensing authority for regional districts
• May 1, 2024: Principal residence requirement (including definition of exempt areas or accommodations), changes to legal non-conforming use protections
• Summer 2024: Data sharing
• Late 2024: Provincial registry launch, requiring platforms to remove listings without valid provincial registry numbers

I don't have the experience to tell if that makes sense or is missing something crucial, but on the face of it it seems sensible to me.

[HVC]

Looks like all they need is a business licence. Is that difficult to get? Or am I missing something?

*edit* I'd also lie, to see escalating penalties to the max so that landlords don't get paltry penalties for repeat offences like landlords do here.

[Jacob]

Looks like all they need is a business licence. Is that difficult to get? Or am I missing something?

*edit* I'd also lie, to see escalating penalties to the max so that landlords don't get paltry penalties for repeat offences like landlords do here.

Whether you need a business license or not is a municipal decision. You need on in Vancouver, and it's not particularly difficult to get if you meet the criteria. My neighbour has one for the part of his house he rents out, for example.

On the other hand, I came across an article today (from last year) about a woman who lost her case to have a fairly big fine rescinded for running an airbnb out of 3 townhomes in a building she'd bought, without a business license (which she then applied for and did not obtain for not conforming to city rules).

Next year there'll also be a provincial registry you need to be registered in, and both business license numbers and registry numbers need to be listed on the platforms - with the province able to instruct the operators to remove non-compliant listings.

More immediately, the rules for what may be rented have changed to be limited to:
The Province is implementing a provincial principal residence requirement which will limit short-term rentals to:

• The host's principal residence (so people actually in your home)
• Plus one secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit (so one unit on or in your property)

That means if you're operating more than one unit, different units across town, separate condos, etc then you will not be issued a business license and be subject to fines (up to $50,000 now, up from $2,000).

Sure there'll be illegal short term rentals, but if you intend to operate lawfully then you're going to have a hard time.

... and more cynically, I think we are going to see enforcement both on the municipal and provincial levels. Headlines about cracking down on airbnb operators is going to generate significant goodwill for whatever politicians are responsible for it.

[Jacob]

Article on the planned enforcement approach, as well as some context on the current enforcement challenges: https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/as-municipalities-hit-roadblocks-cracking-down-on-illegal-short-term-rentals-will-the-provinces-airbnb-police-have-more-teeth

In principle it sounds pretty good once the registry requirement is in place, but I'm not an expert on the topic.

[crazy canuck]

Article on the planned enforcement approach, as well as some context on the current enforcement challenges: https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/as-municipalities-hit-roadblocks-cracking-down-on-illegal-short-term-rentals-will-the-provinces-airbnb-police-have-more-teeth

In principle it sounds pretty good once the registry requirement is in place, but I'm not an expert on the topic.

The article begins to hint at the problems.  The burden for regulation and enforcement will fall on municipalities and they simply don't have the resources needed to do that.

And a small team of enforcement for the whole province is going to be entirely inadequate.

What this is really going to be is mainly a complaint driven enforcement model - like all municipal bylaws.

By analogy think about all the illegal suites Vancouver had back in the day.

It's a step in the right direction, but there is a risk it has very little impact.

[Jacob]

Fair point.

Any thoughts on what would be a better enforcement model?

[crazy canuck]

Fair point.

Any thoughts on what would be a better enforcement model?

Huge fines for the platforms themselves with fines being multiplied for each offence.  Cut them off at the knees.

[viper37]

Nearly one Canadian on two believe there's two much immigration.
Proportion of answers in agreement with the statement: "There is too much immigration in Canada".
Blue line, Quebec.  Red line, Canada.

Draw your own conclusions.