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I live away from my apartment 182.5 days a year at sea (for work as a deck hand), the ability to rent my home while I’m away gives me financial security and the ability to go further my education in a field with a huge shortage, professional mariners. Removing the ability to rent whenever I’m at sea may jeopardize my ability to service my mortgage if interest rates continue to climb. The legally non conforming title of my property is what brought me to purchase in Victoria. I want everyone who works away from home, especially seafarers to have the rights to utilize their otherwise empty space.
Dear MLAs,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. As I sit down to write these words, I am overcome with a sense of deep emotion, frustration, and anxiety about the recent developments regarding Airbnb regulations in our province. I earnestly implore you to consider the profound and heart-wrenching impact that these reforms will have on individuals like me who have poured their heart and soul into securing a place to call home.
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My name is Tom Cowan, I am a 37 year old seafarer that works away at sea 182.5 days a year 21 days on/off and I am a resident of a legally non conforming building in Victoria. I thought an Airbnb apartment would be perfect for me. At present, I reside in a modest 575 square foot apartment, a place that I acquired after many years of unwavering dedication, personal sacrifice, and relentless hard work. My story is not just about property and regulations; it is about dreams, aspirations, and the fundamental desire for a better life in a place I call home.
My journey towards home ownership was a long and arduous one. After spending four years enduring the hardships of life on a leaky 26-foot sailboat to save money on rent, through all sorts of weather, I was determined to save enough for a down payment. I worked relentlessly, often holding down two - three jobs simultaneously - one in the industrial sector and others in tourism. My role in tourism was particularly significant, as I engaged in whale watching activities as a captain for local companies in Victoria for the last 10 years. During that time, I discovered the potential of Airbnb to help make my mortgage payments and make a decent living.
It is essential for me to emphasise that I went to great lengths to operate within the bounds of the law. I spent months educating myself about the intricacies of the short-term rental industry, understanding the regulations, and navigating through the complex bureaucratic processes. I was fortunate enough to find a seller who had been affected by the empty homeowner's tax and was willing to sell me an apartment at a fair price. This apartment, in Victoria deemed "legally non-conforming," provided me with the lifeline I needed to rent my home while I was away at work, allowing me to bridge the financial gap and build a life for myself in Victoria.
However, the recent surge in inflation has created an increasingly challenging financial landscape for me. I had to make personal sacrifices, including giving up the luxury of owning a car. I continued to invest in my education, even at the age of 37, with the hope of securing a brighter future, one where I could afford a home and possibly start a family.
For someone like me who spends 182.5 days a year away from home, maintaining an Airbnb business is more than just a source of income. It's a lifeline. It's a promise of financial stability, of carving out a niche in this beautiful city. I am committed to providing my guests with a cosy dog friendly and comfortable place to stay during their visits to Victoria, and this income has been a beacon of hope in my pursuit of a better life during these past few troubling years.
The proposed changes to Airbnb regulations, particularly the looming loss of my building's "legally non-conforming" status, threaten to tear apart the fabric of my aspirations. This could mean the loss of an annual income exceeding $24,000, which has been a lifeline for me. While I may be able to sustain myself with my current salary, it will be a daily struggle. I will no longer have the extra money to spend at my favourite local coffee shop, tip service staff generously, or offer a dog-friendly apartment to those in need of temporary accommodation during renovations. Most importantly, I will no longer be able to support you and your vision through my vote.
The loss of this income, which also goes towards paying cleaners, Airbnb managers, and my handyman, could have far-reaching consequences. It might even jeopardise my ability to qualify for a mortgage renewal in two years' time, placing my home ownership dreams at risk, and adding myself back into the rental market, removing another unit that someone else could have used.
You may argue that I can still occasionally use my primary residence for Airbnb, but without the "legally non-conforming" label, my home will only be allowed to be rented for a maximum of four separate bookings per year, each averaging a mere 2-3 days. This drastic reduction in income would be a crushing blow, transforming my financial stability into uncertainty and despair. These past two years with my Airbnb running were the first in my entire life I was financially secure.
I am more than willing to pay the required fees, taxes, licenses, and insurance, and comply with all regulations. However, I am left feeling as though the walls of bureaucracy are closing in around me, suffocating my dreams and aspirations. It pains me deeply, particularly when we are surrounded by pressing issues such as homelessness, increasing crime rates, and the shattering of windows around downtown that the Victoria that governments council members are cheering for me to loose my home.
In closing, I urge you to reflect on the human stories behind the statistics and reconsider these reforms. These are not just regulations; they are life-altering decisions that affect individuals who have invested everything in making a life in this city. I beseech you to prioritise purpose-built rentals and address the issue of affordability through comprehensive solutions, rather than placing additional restrictions on those of us who have found creative ways to sustain our livelihoods.
Sincerely,
Tom Cowan
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My husband and I were living in Mill Bay and decided to invest in a condo at mermaid wharf in 2016. My elderly in-laws, who lived in Victoria were beginning to need a lot of support so we saw it as a way to have our own accommodation when we needed to be in the city for them. Our children were also attending UVic and we wanted to be able to be in the city more often for them. We also have a big extended family that visits often and it was nice to offer them our place in the city.
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When we were deciding on which area to buy in, we intentional sought out the area downtown that was transient zoned and a building that was STR-friendly incase we decided to rent out our unit when we weren’t using it. We are very much rule followers and made sure that we were in compliance with all bylaws, rules and regulations.
In 2017, my husband and I separated and it was decided that we would purchase a second unit in the Union building and the management of both units would become my job and allow for a supplement to my spousal support. I had been a stay-at-home mom while my children were in school and was now needing to get back to work.
We have always been self-employed and these investments were very much looked at as part of our retirement plan as we have no pension to rely on. The new regulations proposed by the provincial government will have a devastating affect on our financial security heading into retirement. It feels for all intents and purposes that our property has been seized by the government. We cannot cover our costs by switching over to LTR and will be forced to sell. The loss of value of these units will likely be significant as I expect a flooding of the market due to many others being in a similar situation. Also we will be forced to pay GST on the sale which we had planned to avoid by me moving into our unit in retirement and making it my primary residence.
This has caused considerable stress and anxiety. The safety and security we felt in investing in Victoria real estate, all the while following the rules laid out in front of us, has been rocked. To remove our legal non-conforming status and lump us in with STR units that have been operating illegally in our city is not only unfair but a huge over-reach of our government.
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Dear Stephen,
My name is Jennifer Nielsen Broere and I am writing to you in regard to Bill 35/Clause 36 that was recently passed by the NDP government.
Let me start by saying thank you for your ongoing service on council and your dedication to offering your thoughtful consideration to the issues that arise in our community.
I also want to make it clear that I am in full agreement that the current lack of affordable housing in our community is indeed at a point of crisis. I fully support the vast majority of this new legislation with the exception of one key component. The removal of the Legal Non-Conforming designation for units specifically in Downtown Victoria.
My former husband and I came to the island by way of Winnipeg, where we grew up and attended the University of Manitoba. Like so many others, we fell in love with the Westcoast on our many vacations to the island and decided to build a life here. We settled in the Cowichan Valley with our 2 yr old son in 1998. We happily raised our family and added our little girl in 1999. We slowly built up some financial security through hard work and sacrifice and were able to purchase our initial condo in 2016. We loved Victoria and thought it would serve as a great investment but more notably provide a place to stay in the city while supporting his elderly parents who lived in there. We were also able to spend time with our kids who attended UVic at the time. We decided to rent out our unit on a short term basis when we weren’t using the property ourselves. Unfortunately, my husband and I separated in 2017 and our financial picture changed dramatically. Being self-employed and with no pension to rely on, we were forced to get creative as to how to plan for our retirement independent of one another. We managed to purchase a second unit together to help subsidize my spousal support and my job was now to manage our units.
Bill 35 now strips me of my ability to continue renting my units, even though I have made sure to follow every rule, pay every tax and acquire all licensing required to operate legally. This is, plain and simple, government over-reach. Not only is it likely unlawful, it is morally and ethically unacceptable.
The idea that 600+ legal non-conforming units will magically be converted to LTRs is wishful thinking.
I cannot cover my costs without charging $3000 a month which I would be unlikely to get. Even if I could offer them at the going rate for a downtown high-end condo, a $2000/month rent for 500 sq ft is not by any definition affordable rent for anyone struggling to find housing. Unless this government is also providing rent subsidies for our units, this is clearly not a solution.
So it appears I am forced to sell my units in a market that is now flooded with units that can no longer operate as STRs. My ability to generate extra income has been taken away and my investment which was counted on to finance my retirement has seriously depreciated.
The amount of stress, anxiety and, dare I say, full-on panic that this legislation has already caused has been heartbreaking. Every owner/operator of a legal, non-conforming STR that I have had the pleasure to get to know over the past 7 years are law-abiding, rule following, hard-working people who love what the do and love our city. They are small business owners who have sacrificed to be able to invest in this industry on a small scale and work hard to make a small profit by renting their units. They are definitely not the faceless corporate entities that they have been accused of being, getting rich while others in our community struggle.
How can our government callously disregard our sacrifices to buy our properties and operate our businesses legally and turn a blind eye when faced with the knowledge that this will financial cripple so many? We supposedly live in a fair and just society and am quite frankly shocked and completely disillusioned by the handling of this issue. The hotel industries interests appear to have played heavily into the drafting of this legislation. Why were hundreds of other legally operating businesses not given the same consideration? Allowing everyone a voice is a cornerstone to a fair and equitable system.
I am hoping that you and our other city councillors can consider creative solutions and a nuanced approach that does not involve unfairly targeting the Legal Non-Confirming status of hundreds of STR businesses and so many others that have grown out of this legitimate industry.
All short term rentals are not created equal. There are many operating illegally that should have been removed from the market long ago and returned to LTR status. There are others that are not viable LTRs due to cost, location and functionality and provide an ideal fit as short term rentals. This is where most legal non-conforming units fall.
Also please consider the impact this will have on the vibrancy of our downtown area that is world renowned as a top tourist destination. Guests staying in STRs account for anywhere between 600 to 1000 travellers enjoying our city on any given day. They are spending money that support a thriving economy in our city. I fear that economy will suffer greatly by the absence of these travellers.
I implore you and the other councillors to hear our stories and consider the impact this legislation will have on all of us.
Sincerely
Jennifer Nielsen Broere
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My partner and I bought the condo in 2016 as an investment and for possibly living there when we both retire. I am currently managing it as STR as my hobby/work post retirement from my actual work as a health professional.
Dear Counsellor Dell,
My adult children (25-33), like many other young adults in Victoria, cannot afford to buy a house in the area they grew up in. And they can barely afford to pay rent on a 1-bedroom apartment. While I empathise and fully understand the need for more affordable housing, I cannot fathom how conversion of current high end short term rental condos in downtown Victoria can suddenly become affordable housing. A condo rented for $2500-3000/month is definitely not affordable.
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My partner and I purchased our 2 bedroom condo downtown with plans for retiring there when the time was ripe. I set it up as a short term rental in late 2018 and took on managing and cleaning it when I retired from my profession in health care in 2022. I have enjoyed interacting with guests, mostly families, who chose to stay with us. They like having a kitchen to prepare breakfasts and lunches, and a small patio where they can enjoy a cocktail before going out for dinner and supporting our local restaurants. This is something they could not do in a hotel room!
The NDP seem to view short term rental owners and managers as money-grabbing schemers, rather than individuals dedicated to providing a service to foreigners and locals alike. During Covid, most of our suites sat empty for almost two years, in the hopes that any day we would be allowed to operate once again. Airbnb had asked if we would offer our spaces free of charge to local health professionals seeking accommodation outside their own home so as not to expose their families to the virus. And I certainly did this. During natural disasters such as fires, AirBnb had also asked hosts who had availability to consider making their space available.
We are not out to make a quick buck, we work hard, abide by all the rules, pay taxes, and provide the type of accommodation that hotels and motels cannot. While it is truly unfortunate that affordable housing is outside the reach of many, including my children, it is also truly unfortunate that I am being asked - actually forced - to give up my investment and retirement plan for a scheme that will definitely not create more affordable housing.
As hosts of a short term rental condo, we are proud of the hard work we do and the services we provide to our guests. We are proud to show off our beautiful city and point out our favourite restaurants, walks, parks, spas and activities to all that stay with us.
As AirBnb and VRBO guests ourselves, we have enjoyed staying for a few days in such facilities with our kids in several cities from Paris to Buenos Aires. What a pity it would be that visitors to Victoria, coming from around the globe and the province, cannot enjoy the same types of short term accommodations available to tourists all over the world!
Sincerely
Sanna Pellatt
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I purchased my property at the Oriental as an investment. A place I could use from time to time as well as share with family and friends and the rest of the time offer beautiful accommodations to tourists coming to visit Victoria who would also appreciate staying in a Historic Building. I am a mother of 4 and business owner in the Vacation Rental sector of Downtown Victoria. Until a few years ago, I was a single mother, I could not afford to purchase a “house” as an investment, but I could afford to purchase a condo with intent to also generate a bit of additional income to set off increasing expenses and build a nest egg for retirement. C-35 will no longer allow me to have personal access to my property or share with family and friends nor will it allow me to offer it for short term accommodations to the multiples of tourists who look to stay in holiday homes vs hotels. I will be forced to rent long term. The running costs of this property are greater than what I would likely receive for rent forcing me to pay out of pocket. Kind of defeats the purpose of having this investment.
Dear Stephen Hammond,
What fascinating times we seem to be living in. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be experiencing what we’ve endured this past week in this country I have called home for 47 years: Canada, the True North Strong & Free. It’s the last word that I am having trouble with. FREE.
Freedom is being stripped away from the beautiful, strong and courageous citizens of this country every time their government fails them.
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I am being hit hard from both sides by the recent passing of Bill 35. In 2016, as a single Mum to 4 beautiful children, I launched Amala with the intention to transform an industry. Following my passion for tourism, my focus was on short-term rentals in Victoria’s coveted downtown. With my innovative spirit, all-natural vibe and holistic approach, my cleaning business allowed me to hire local women, most of them single mums, paying more than just a living wage. In quick time the cleaning business started to evolve & I soon found myself as a host to the properties I was cleaning. In 2017, I made a connection with my now business and life partner Ryan Sawatzky, who would complement my skills, and together, 1.5 years later, formed Amala Vacation Rental Solutions & AirLobby.
In the fall of 2019, we broke ground on AirLobby, creating a vibrant and welcoming community in Victoria’s Old Town District. A place for guests to drop off their bags for the day to explore and then go back in the afternoon to pick up their keys for their Airbnb.
AirLobby’s public grand opening took place on March 14, 2020, with the doors closing 4 days later, due to the COVID pandemic. To say our hearts were broken was an understatement. Our owners were keen to help in anyway they could, opening up their units to travelling nurses and folks needing to quarantine. This allowed us to continue to be of service in the community until we were allowed to host the public for a shorter term.
AirLobby has become part of the fabric of this community, welcoming thousands of guests each year and employing 30 + people. With the passing of Bill 35, each one of these incredibly hardworking individuals will be out of work. With unemployment on the rise, they are concerned what their future will look like in 2024. We have unfortunately started the process of laying a few team members off as our owners come to terms with the future use of their property.
Hearing the stories of many folks who have purchased their first property in one of these legal, non-conforming buildings is also relatable to me. This June, I was able to buy my first property. As a mum of 4 (thankfully, no longer a single mum), I have not been in a financial position to buy a home that would fit us all. Having saved diligently for several years, I was able to buy a condo in a heritage building. The loft is roughly 500 sqft, not the kind of place you'd want to live in full-time. It is the kind of place that is fun to stay in for a few days up to a week.
I am not a real estate Mogul profiteering off the platforms of Airbnb!! I am a 47-year-old woman, trying her damndest to keep her head above water and show her family that with enough grit and tenacity, a dream can be real. That you can create a business with impact and leave this world better than the people in power are leading it!!
When the Bill passed on Thursday last week, my 18-year-old sent me this message: “I’m sorry, this is obviously a huge impact and change in your life. All I would say though is that it is a huge impact on you externally only, it doesn’t change the way you are as a person or affect how well your mind works within business and people. Anything you do will be a success, make sure you look at yourself in the mirror and say that. You are a powerful mama, and you will get through this!”
I never thought I would live in a time when my freedoms and rights are being negotiated away from me without an opportunity to weigh in. My grandparents fought for my freedom, has our Government forgotten this?
Stephen, I know I speak for not just myself, but my community. We are in support of 90% of this Bill; we would have appreciated a conversation. An opportunity to have a dialogue and be part of the solution.
This is not it! The big-time corporate operators are not in this group of 640 Legal Non Conforming units.
This is a community of individual owners who are operating above board providing welcoming accommodations to a variety of tourists who come to experience the beauty of Victoria.
Ryan and I would love to extend an invite to you, and any other member of Victoria’s council, to visit our AirLobby. Experience what it means to the community and say hi to the incredible people that call this place work everyday.
Warmly, Angela Mason
Amala Vacation Rentals | AirLobby