A group of property owners is in B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria this week challenging the province’s new rules restricting short-term rentals.
The West Coast Association for Property Rights launched legal action in response to legislation that came into effect May 1 and bans most short-term rentals unless they are in an owner’s principal residence.
A short-term rental unit can only be in a secondary suite or an accessory dwelling unit on the property.
The goal of the new rules is to return the units to the long-term rental market to help alleviate the shortage of affordable housing in the province.
The legislation sparked an outcry from many condominium owners, who said they purchased what many consider retirement homes or income generators before the rules came into effect.
Many were advertising online through companies such as Airbnb.
The court case began Monday and is scheduled to run for five days in B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria.
The association wants to see previous rights to operate legal short-term rentals reinstated.
