OTTAWA — Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is applauding the B.C. government for going after short-term rentals and says the federal government is looking at what it can do on the issue as well.

The B.C. government has introduced new legislation that involves forcing those who offer short-term accommodation to actually live on the property, NDP Premier David Eby told a news conference on Monday.

Eby said the government is also set to increase fines for short-term rental operators who break municipal bylaws and will require short-term rental platforms to share data with the province for enforcement and tax purposes.

Freeland said during a news conference today that short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and VRBO are making it harder for Canadians to find a home to rent.

She says her government is looking at what can be done at the federal level to ensure more short-term rentals are made available as long-term rentals.

The finance minister says this is part the government’s efforts to address the housing shortage in both the immediate and medium term.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2023.

The Canadian Press