Whereas Bill 35 has been enacted to give local governments stronger enforcement tools for their short-term rental bylaws resulting in the amendment of section 2 of the Community Charter Bylaw Enforcement Ticket Regulation Reg. 4252003 limits the maximum fine amount in relation to tickets for bylaw offences to 3,000; And whereas the 3,000 fine amount is grossly inconsistent with current property value and value of the property as a short-term rental, and thereby the fine amounts fail to provide a sufficient deterrent for being in contravention of municipal bylaws: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request the provincial government support local governments in implementing Bill 35 by increasing the maximum allowable fines under section 2 of the Community Charter Bylaw Enforcement Ticket Regulation from 3,000 to 10,000.
Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs In 2023, the Province increased the maximum allowable fines for municipal ticketing under s. 2 of the Community Charter Bylaw Enforcement Ticket Regulation from 1,000 to 3,000 and is not contemplating a further fine increase at this time. The recent increase strikes a measured balance between allowing for adequate deterrence from bylaw violations while keeping limits to a reasonable amount as municipal ticketing is intended for enforcement of minor to medium bylaw contraventions, including operating without a business license, parking violations, or nuisances and is not limited to the enforcement of short-term rental bylaws. The Province has introduced provincial legislation, BCs Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act Act and regulations, that establishes a new provincial role in the regulation of short-term rentals. The Province has formed a Compliance and Enforcement Unit to ensure that the provincial short-term rental rules under the Act and regulations are being followed. Enforcement action may be taken if there is evidence that a host or platform is not following the requirements under the Act or regulations. Administrative penalties can be issued when a person or entity contravenes the Act or regulations. The regulations provide a fee schedule that sets out the maximum rates for different contraventions, with increasing fee maximums of up to 20,000 for successive contraventions. In some circumstances, an application can be made to the BC Supreme Court to grant an injunction to compel a person or entity to do, refrain from doing, or stop doing a specific action. In addition, the Province has strengthened local government tools to enforce short-term rental bylaws, including data sharing requirements for short-term rental platforms with local governments about short-term rental listings, new business licensing authority for regional districts as well as an increase of maximum fines for Offence Act prosecution of bylaw violations for regional districts from 2,000 to 50,000.