Income helps island residents, but is seen as unfair competition by some
Gerry Bellett
Sun
Saltspring Island‘s local government is cracking down on property owners who rent their summer homes and cottages to vacationers, after complaints from commercial hotel and bed-and-breakfast operators that they are facing unfair competition.
Wayne Quinn, Islands Trust director of local planning, said Tuesday that renting out a home that is zoned residential is not permitted under the island’s zoning bylaw. Such activity is only allowed on properties zoned commercial, he said.
It’s been a problem for years and has affected many Gulf islands, with some banning short-term holiday rentals of residential property, while others, such as South Pender, allow it.
Gabriola Island takes the middle position and is working on allowing rentals, provided the homeowner takes out a temporary use permit that could cost $800.
Saltspring has decided against that route.
“The currently elected trust committee has determined it’s not something they want to allow,” said Quinn who has been asked by the committee to enforce the ban.
He said he’s not sure how many illegal holiday homes were being operated on Saltspring but expects it might be a couple of hundred.
“We’re running a forum on managing tourism growth within a few weeks and I expect we’ll have people on both sides speaking out,” he said.
He said the unofficial tourist income received by some home-owners helps see them through the year.
“On the mainland, people usually have one job but on the islands some people would say that it [renting out their home] was vital to their being able to live here,” said Quinn.
As for enforcement of the bylaw, Quinn said he is waiting for political direction as to when to begin.
“Right now we’re working on a strategy. Should enforcement be this year or next year? People might have taken bookings and the holiday season is almost upon us,” he said.
But he wouldn’t be surprised if the issue ends up with the bylaw being challenged in court, he said.
Meanwhile, Elly Hallam, who runs a holiday rental business on Gabriola, warns that any crackdown on holiday home rentals will seriously impact the islands’ economies.
“Tourism will be reduced and the fragile economies of these islands will be shattered,” Hallam said.
She rents out 20 homes and one small island — Breakwater Island — on Gabriola which rent from $650 to $2,000 a week, with Breakwater Island going for $4,000 a week.
“Last year we rented to 148 families, each with an average of 4.4 people.
These are the people who buy the paintings and sculptures from artists and who spend money in the farmer’s market — it’s not the locals who do that,” she said.
“I find it ironic that they are trying to reduce tourism at a time when the Liberal government is pushing tourism for the 2010 Olympics,” said Hallam.
© The Vancouver Sun 2006
