'Will you be an angel for a helpless local?' Whistler resident appeals for affordable rental home in new video

Jon Martin has a few short weeks to find a new place to live — he's being evicted from his rental home on March 31.

But his search for another affordable place to rent in Whistler, B.C., has proven difficult. In an effort to stand out as a potential tenant, he decided to get creative.

Martin's friend, Kris Dontas, a local videographer, helped him put together a short video — based on commercials for charitable organizations featuring music by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan — to help him find housing. 

"The thinking behind it was maybe if I can make people laugh, maybe I can get someone who is a good landlord," he said. 

"Every month, innocent locals are left without reasonable, affordable rent, including myself," Martin says in the video, which was posted to his Instagram page. 

"If you have something available, please email the address on screen. You'll receive a crisp high five, and the best tenants you could ever wish for."

Martin, 36, has lived in Whistler for 15 years. He works at a skate and snowboard shop and has a side gig delivering food. He's lived in his current space for about five years, but the home has a new property owner who has other plans for the suite.

His budget for rent is about $2,000 per month and he's looking for a two-bedroom place for him and a friend.

He recently inquired about a listing for a three-bedroom home, only to learn it was going to cost $7,500 per month. 

He immediately stopped responding to the landlord, because the rental was way beyond his price range. The property owner texted Martin back the next day and offered to go as low as $5,500 per month — a significant decrease, but still much more than Martin and his friend can afford.

"It's tough," Martin said.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation describes Whistler as "one of the most expensive housing markets in the country" that depends on service industry workers like Martin, many of whom can't find an affordable place to live.

According to Rentals.ca, a website that offers rental listings and compiles data and rentals across Canada, British Columbians pay the highest rent in the country: $2,181 (or $2.94 per square foot) per month. 

Whistler is no exception — a quick scan of the rental section of Craigslist revealed that most two-bedroom rentals in the Whistler village are about double what Martin is looking to pay. 

Martin worries people working in Whistler can't afford to live in the village because of real estate investments for tourism. While he understands that tourism is an important part of the Whistler economy, he said it's important to make space for the people living and working there.

"That's what people are talking about here," he said. 

"Whistler is losing its culture and soul because the people that make Whistler what it is are being forced out of their hometown."

He said businesses are closing because they don't have enough staff. 

Martin said the video has created a couple leads for him, but nothing firm. But, he said he isn't giving up on Whistler.

"I'll sleep on my friends' couches or floors or whatever I have to do because I have faith something will come through," he said.