Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (STRAA)

The Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act (STRAA) is BC legislation that restricts where short-term rentals (generally defined as rentals of less than 90 consecutive days) may operate across the province. It came into force on May 1, 2024, and applies to most communities in BC, though the scope of specific requirements can vary depending on a community's size and local government bylaws. The STRAA's central objective is to return more housing units to the long-term rental market by limiting short-term rental activity. Local governments retain the authority to impose additional restrictions beyond those set out in the STRAA.

Under the STRAA, hosts in most affected communities are restricted to operating short-term rentals only within their principal residence — the home where they primarily live. In addition to their principal residence, a host may also offer one secondary suite or one accessory dwelling unit on the same property as a short-term rental. This means that investment properties or secondary homes that are not the host's principal residence are generally no longer eligible for short-term rental operation in communities subject to the principal residence requirement.

The principal residence requirement under the STRAA initially applied to communities with populations above a specified threshold, targeting areas with the most significant housing pressure, including many municipalities and resort municipalities. However, communities classified as resort municipalities may be subject to different or modified rules, and smaller or rural communities may be exempt from certain provisions. Because applicability can depend on a community's designation and size, property owners and licensees should consult the current BC Government guidance or the relevant local government to confirm whether a specific community is subject to the principal residence requirement.

In BC, strata corporations are governed by the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) and may pass bylaws that restrict or prohibit short-term rentals within a strata development. The STRAA operates alongside, not in replacement of, these strata bylaws, meaning that even if a host complies with the STRAA's principal residence requirement, they must also comply with any strata bylaw that further limits or bans short-term rentals. Prospective purchasers of strata lots should review the strata corporation's bylaws — typically obtained through the Form B Information Certificate under the Strata Property Act — to understand any short-term rental restrictions that apply.

The STRAA establishes a significant penalty regime for non-compliance, including fines that can be issued to hosts, platforms, and local governments that fail to meet their respective obligations under the Act. Fines for individuals and corporations can be substantial, and the BC Government has indicated that enforcement will be active. Because penalty amounts are subject to regulatory updates, parties should consult the current BC Government's Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act guidance or the relevant regulation for the most current figures.

Under the STRAA, short-term rental platforms — such as online marketplaces that facilitate bookings — are required to share data with the province, including information about listings and hosts, to support enforcement of the principal residence requirement. Platforms are also required to remove listings that do not comply with applicable local government requirements when directed to do so by local authorities. These obligations make platforms active participants in compliance, not merely neutral intermediaries.

Licensed real estate licensees in BC are regulated by the British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) under the Real Estate Services Act (RESA) and its Rules, which require licensees to act lawfully and in compliance with applicable legislation. Assisting a client in operating or marketing a short-term rental that does not comply with the STRAA or applicable local bylaws could expose a licensee to regulatory risk under RESA. Licensees should ensure they understand the STRAA's requirements and advise clients to seek appropriate legal guidance when a listing's short-term rental status is in question.

Properties located within BC's Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) are subject to both the STRAA and the restrictions imposed by the Agricultural Land Commission Act (SBC 2002, c. 36), which limits non-farm uses of ALR land. Short-term rental activity on ALR land must comply with both regimes, meaning hosts must satisfy the STRAA's principal residence requirement while also ensuring the activity is permitted under ALR use rules administered by the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). Property owners with ALR land who wish to operate short-term rentals should contact the ALC directly to confirm whether such use is permissible.

Hosts and platforms that collect personal information from guests in BC — such as names, contact details, or payment information — remain subject to BC's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), which governs the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by private-sector organizations in BC. The STRAA's data-sharing requirements between platforms and government do not override a host's or platform's separate obligations under PIPA. Hosts operating short-term rentals should ensure their privacy practices comply with PIPA, including obtaining appropriate consent for the collection and use of guest personal information.

BC real estate licensees have duties of disclosure under the Real Estate Services Act (RESA) and its Rules, administered by the British Columbia Financial Services Authority (BCFSA), and must disclose material facts about a property that are known or ought reasonably to be known. If a property was operated as a short-term rental in a manner that may have violated the STRAA or local bylaws, this could constitute a material fact relevant to a buyer's decision, particularly regarding potential outstanding penalties or restrictions on future use. Licensees should conduct appropriate due diligence and advise clients to seek legal advice where the short-term rental history of a property raises compliance questions.