Summerside taking second look at short-term rentals

The city of Summerside is taking a closer look at how short-term rentals are regulated. 

"We want to start that conversation," Coun. Justin Doiron, who called for the review during a council meeting Tuesday night, told Island Morning.

"It's hard to say what regulations need to be put in — maybe none do. But I think something has to be done."

Summerside looked at the issue two years ago but decided against any regulations.

"At the time, the world was kind of a different place. It didn't seem to be a priority even with a lot of the residents," he said. 

"Here we are in a [housing] crisis, there's construction everywhere but it's still not enough, so now is the time. I just want to have the conversation." 

Next steps

Charlottetown made the move earlier this year to put its own policies in place requiring any short-term rental to be a primary residence, meaning owners are not allowed to have multiple properties.

Those rules are set to take effect this spring. 

Doiron said at this point he's not sure if the city's housing shortage is directly related to the number of short-term rentals. But he says the city needs to talk with the right people to get a better handle on the situation, and hear about potential solutions, before any bylaws are put in place.

"We're eight people sitting around a room and I don't think any of us have the expertise to come up with certain regulations off the top of our heads without that background," he said. 

"I certainly don't have the intention of restricting tourism operators."

Doiron said the next step will be a meeting with the Bylaw and Policy Review Committee to determine the plan moving forward. 

"It's well overdue and it needs to happen."