Short-term tourist accommodation

CONSULTATION ON SHORT-TERM TOURIST ACCOMMODATION

Page 1 of 7

Section 2: Context and relevant information

The City of Gaspé has been experiencing considerable economic expansion since 2016. With the expansion of the LM Wind Power plant and the economic vitality of its traditional sectors of its economy, in addition to the effects generated by the pandemic and the search for a way of life closer to nature, the population of Gaspé has grown from 14 inhabitants in 568 to 2016 inhabitants in 15 according to the latest census data, which is a faster expansion than cities like Rimouski or Rivière-du-Loup.

Although the growth in housing has also been there (+505 from 2016 to 2021), it cannot meet all the demand, since the occupancy rate of the City of Gaspé, as of October 2021 was 0,8%, well below the equilibrium rate of a rental market generally around 3%.

As early as 2018, the City of Gaspé carried out initiatives to stimulate the construction of private housing, in particular by selling land at very low prices ($1 to $2) and since 500, it has been offering tax holidays 2019 years for the construction of rental housing and the purchase of a house in certain areas of the City which had several houses for sale at that time.

In addition, the City of Gaspé offers tax holidays of up to 35 years, land donations and subsidies for the construction of social housing on its territory. These projects are supported by community organizations and an additional resource has been hired at the MRC de la Côte-de-Gaspé to accelerate the emergence and implementation of such projects.

The economic effervescence was also visible in the tourism sector as the region welcomed a record number of tourists during the years 2019, 2020 and 2021. This reality favored the emergence of projects aimed at converting housing units or single-family homes in tourist residences for short-term rentals that are usually posted on sites like Air BNB, VRBO and other similar platforms. In order to keep the maximum number of housing units available for residents year-round, some voices would like the City of Gaspé to regulate this practice more. The survey therefore seeks to collect comments from citizens on how the City of Gaspé should regulate these types of accommodation.

In order to illustrate the phenomenon of short-term rentals, some data and definitions are important to know.

Definitions

What is a tourist accommodation establishment within the meaning of the Regulation respecting tourist accommodation establishments?

The main tourist accommodation categories are principal residence, youth tourist accommodation and general tourist accommodation establishments according to the CITQ, since September 1, 2022.

The operation of a tourist accommodation establishment is subject to registration with the CITQ.

Un tourist accommodation establishment is an establishment in which at least one accommodation unit, such as a bed, a room, a suite, an apartment, a house, a chalet, a ready-to-camp or a camping site, is offered for rent to tourists against remuneration, for a period not exceeding 31 days.

Un tourist is a person who makes a trip during which he stays at least one night, outside his main residence, for pleasure or business purposes or to perform paid work.

A Rmain residence is the residence where a natural person usually lives by centralizing his family and social activities there and whose address corresponds to the one he indicates to most government departments and agencies.

With the entry into force of a new law on September 1, 2022, the Quebec government does not allow municipalities to prohibit the short-term rental of a principal residence, without resorting to a referendum process.

Some data is also important to know.

Data

Number of total assessment units in Gaspé (all types combined, house, apartment, hotels, camping, etc.): 6

Number of CITQ permits by category in Gaspé (August 2022)

Tourist residences: 72

Hotels, inns or lodges: 14

Campsites: 14

Outfitters: 2

Youth hostels and student residences: 3

Number of dwellings offered on collaborative accommodation platforms (June 2021, RCGT study for the MRC de la Côte-de-Gaspé): 69

Number of accommodations offered on collaborative accommodation platforms (verification in August 2022 for reservations in September and October): Between 70 and 75 units.

Section 3: Advantages and disadvantages

We have identified various advantages and disadvantages associated with short-term tourist accommodation.

Please indicate whether these seem important to you to consider (10) or not (1).

Benefits

Offers a new source of income to help pay rent, mortgage, or other expenses.

Invalid entry

Promotes economic benefits for the local economy (bars, restaurants, shops, etc.);

Invalid entry

Contributes to the power of tourist attraction for tourists looking for accommodation options that meet increasingly varied expectations (proximity to the river, a lake or in the forest, complete accommodation with kitchen and several bedrooms, rustic mode /rural, etc.) or original travel experiences (teepees, yurts, treehouses, trailers, etc.);

Invalid entry

Allows tourists to stay close to family and friends

Invalid entry

Allows more flexibility since most traditional accommodation establishments cannot accommodate a large part of the tourist clientele (family with several children or with a pet, limited budget, etc.);

Invalid entry

Sometimes creates an offer of tourist accommodation at lower prices;

Invalid entry

Allows you to meet demand when there is a lack of traditional accommodation (hotels, B&Bs, etc.)

Invalid entry

Tourist residences can also be transformed into annual rental accommodation if tourist demand is lower.

Invalid entry

Offers flexibility for families who wish to make use of a room in their house or their entire house, when it is not occupied.

Invalid entry

Disadvantages

Reduces demand for the traditional accommodation market (hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, etc.);

Invalid entry

Can lead to a reduction in the supply of rental and permanent housing at affordable prices: the flexibility and financial advantages offered by short-term accommodation encourage owners of traditional rental housing to turn to this mode of rental;

Invalid entry

Decreased reduction in home ownership opportunities for low- and middle-income families and therefore a potential reduction in the number of permanent residents

Invalid entry

Can increase the value of properties on the municipal assessment roll located in the same sector, and thereby increase the tax burden of all owners in this sector;

Invalid entry

Can lead to a significant increase in the selling price of private properties, particularly waterfront or forest properties prized by lessors;

Invalid entry

Reduces the supply of annual rental housing and creates situations where tenants find themselves homeless in the summer;

Invalid entry

Additional burden on public services (more waste generated, traffic on the road, complaints and monitoring required, etc.);

Invalid entry

Involves risks for the protection of privacy environments: "party house", excessive noise, additional waste, increased traffic and demand for on-street parking, etc.;

Invalid entry

Section 4: Questions concerning the desired municipal framework for short-term rental accommodation of a tourist nature

Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements using a scale of 1 to 10: 1 meaning you totally disagree and 10 meaning you totally agree.

The City of Gaspé should regulate short-term rentals in principal residences more strictly?

Invalid entry

The City should more strictly regulate short-term rentals in secondary residences

Invalid entry

The City should allow owners of several dwellings to offer them for short-term rental (less than 31 days)

Invalid entry

The City should allow people living in their main residence to offer their house on short-term accommodation platforms.

Invalid entry

Do you have any other comments/suggestions regarding the supervision of the short-term tourist accommodation offer?

Invalid entry

The City should completely prohibit short-term rentals (less than 31 days) on its territory for these types of dwellings:

Condos or apartments in plexes or apartment blocks

Invalid entry

Single-family home (bungalow, bungalow, unimodular, etc.)

Invalid entry

Private chalet

Invalid entry

Trailers

Invalid entry

Do you have any other comments or suggestions regarding the possibility of completely banning certain types of short-term tourist accommodation?

Invalid entry

It is also possible to partially ban short-term tourist accommodation and/or to use licensing and taxation mechanisms.

In your opinion, using a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 meaning you totally disagree and 10 meaning you totally agree, would it be better:

Target certain areas of the city where there are more short-term rentals and ban them in those places.

Invalid entry

Target certain purely residential areas and prohibit the supply of short-term tourist accommodation rentals.

Invalid entry

Target certain areas occupied largely by cabins (around the lake, recreational tourism area, vacation resorts) and authorize the supply of short-term tourist accommodation there.

Invalid entry

Quota certain areas (districts) with regulatory measures for this type of short-term tourist accommodation.

Invalid entry

Create an additional tax class for this type of accommodation to offset the additional costs for the municipality (waste, nuisance, complaints, etc.)

Invalid entry

Do you have any other comments suggestions in relation to the possibility of partially banning certain types of short-term tourist accommodation?

Invalid entry

FIND OUT MORE

Statistics on short-term tourist accommodation (MRC) Statistics on housing construction in Gaspé Guide of the UMQ concerning the supervision of tourist accommodation

City of Gaspé - A city at the heart of discovery A city at the heart of discovery

Login

First and last name

Your neighbourhood

Declaration

Section 2: Context and relevant information

Definitions

What is a tourist accommodation establishment within the meaning of the Regulation respecting tourist accommodation establishments?

Data

Number of CITQ permits by category in Gaspé (August 2022)

Section 3: Advantages and disadvantages

Benefits

Disadvantages

Section 4: Questions concerning the desired municipal framework for short-term rental accommodation of a tourist nature

Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements using a scale of 1 to 10: 1 meaning you totally disagree and 10 meaning you totally agree.

The City should completely prohibit short-term rentals (less than 31 days) on its territory for these types of dwellings:

It is also possible to partially ban short-term tourist accommodation and/or to use licensing and taxation mechanisms.

In your opinion, using a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 meaning you totally disagree and 10 meaning you totally agree, would it be better:

Section 5: For homeowners (short-term or long-term)

FIND OUT MORE

QUICK LINKS

MUNICIPAL SERVICES

Contact Us