The Movement to Ban Airbnb

In Montreal, there are more than 12,000 Airbnb listings. Of these – almost 75% are homes and apartments – which could be used for long term rentals. Airbnbs have been playing an out-sized role in Montrealers’ limited access to affordable housing.

Martin Blanchard of the Comité logement de la Petite Patrie says Airbnb presents as a sharing platform, but he says it's not sharing – it's taking apartments from the rental market.

Blanchard says 12,000 is a lot of Airbnbs in Montreal considering there is a shortage affordable apartments. He says Airbnb has the biggest profit potential for owners. Blanchard says tenants with small incomes can be kicked out, with the location transitioning to a condo or Airbnb.

He says this is leading to a rise in rental prices in Montreal, as it's affecting vacancy rates in the city.

The municipal governments in Montreal and Quebec City have put regulations in place to limit the kinds of unlicensed Airbnbs and short term rentals that have been leading to increased gentrification. Regulations include registering with Revenue Quebec or facing fines, with the provincial CAQ government enforcing hosts to pay for a license number and show it on their property, while Montreal's municipal government has limited Airbnb from operating in certain areas of the city.

Despite hosts being required to have a license for their short-term rental, almost 95% of Airbnbs in Montreal are unlicensed. 

Blanchard said most unlicensed Airbnbs are on residential streets, where citizen expect peace. But Airbnbs threaten this, as they often generate a noisy environment, which can disrupt neighbours.

Blanchard said Airbnb tried every trick to evade policies -- that the platform doesn't observe law, and evades the fiscal system. He says the best way to end Airbnb is END Airbnb and come back to system we have before. He says tourists could rent an apartment before but had to go through a more formal mechanism or find a place through word of mouth. But he says Airbnb is hard to control now, so this is why he and Comité logement de la Petite Patrie are pushing to ban Airbnb in Montreal and Quebec.