Have your say on short-term rental rules in Calgary

The city wants Calgarians to have their say on what regulations for short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO should look like.

An online survey is open from Aug. 26 to Sept. 30 for residents to give feedback and shape rules on short-term rentals, which are homes or parts of home rented for up to 30 consecutive days, often through online services.

“Feedback from Calgarians enhances our understanding of challenges and opportunities in Calgary’s short-term rental market,” Antonio Faiola, manager, business experience, said in a statement. “We will incorporate the input we hear from Calgarians and present recommendations to council in December.”

The study is aimed at examining market statistics, public perceptions, operational challenges, and the impact short-term rentals have on the housing market, according to the city.

This is being completed as part of multi-year study with the University of Calgary through the Urban Alliance partnership.

Phase 1 of the project, which was launched last October, included an online survey, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews with interested parties, operators, and hosts.

“It’s important we engage Calgarians as we continue to evolve our regulations to align with the city’s priorities related to housing, economic development, downtown revitalization, hospitality and tourism,” Faiola said.

Calgary’s short-term rental market has been growing steadily since 2017. As of September 2023, there were around 5,000 short-term rentals in Calgary, according to the city, representing less than one per cent of the 540,000 rental properties in the city.

Most short-term rental listings are concentrated in the city centre communities and developing communities, the city explains, and listings spike in July during Stampede.

Though short-term rentals are often associated with tourism, information gathered through the first round of the survey indicated these properties are also often used by individuals travelling to Calgary for medical purposes, Calgarians transitioning in between homes, new Calgarians, and transitory workers.

To take the survey, visit the city’s website.