Take our Short-Term Rental Survey (Closed)

With the rise of Short-Term Rentals (STRs) in Whitehorse, concerns about potential impacts to long-term housing access grow. The City is reviewing opportunities and challenges presented by STRs in our community. The City is also reviewing legislation, best practices, and lessons learned from other communities to understand how best to manage STRs in Whitehorse. This could involve developing regulations around how and where STRs can operate in the community.

STRs are generally defined as rental units or rooms in a house rented out by owners for a short period, typically 30 days or less. STRs include rental units or spaces that are often listed online on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com. They are managed by owners or by a local rental management company. STRs differ from traditional bed and breakfasts, because there are currently no requirements for the owner or operator to live on site. As well, entire homes with kitchen facilities (vs individual rooms only) can be rented out.

Earlier this year, the City’s Housing and Land Development Advisory Committee submitted a report to Council recommending several STRs management approaches. The report included developing specific use regulations, developing definitions for different types of STRs, where in the city they would be allowed, and requirements for business licenses. This survey is an opportunity to provide input on the recommendations and share additional ideas.

As any new regulatory approach will likely involve changes to the Zoning Bylaw, this review is being completed concurrently with the Zoning Bylaw Rewrite project.