Residents of Eastern Townships town want ban on short-term home rentals

Dozens of property owners in a small village in Quebec's Eastern Townships say they've had enough of short-term home rentals like Airbnb.

The residents of Eastman, Que., say short-term renters are ruining the quiet atmosphere on the shores of Stukely Lake.

Now, about 120 residents have filed a petition with the municipal council, asking for a ban on Airbnb-type rentals at cottages along the lake.

"It's really annoying for neighbours and people that try to intervene are told to get lost," said Claude Désautels, a local resident.

Désautels told Radio-Canada that he knows of at least five properties that were bought specifically for rentals in the area.

He says he's afraid having too many short-term rentals will lead to conflicts between neighbours.

"It's a problem," he said.

Municipal council to vote on a ban

The petition was brought to the mayor of Eastman, Yvon Laramée, and a new bylaw is expected to be voted in without opposition when the municipal council meets next.

While Laramée conceded he's received few official complaints, he said he prefers to get ahead of any problem.

"When it's short-term rentals, it's a party all weekend, and then they're gone by Monday," he told Radio-Canada.

"Each municipality is dealing with this in its own way." 

But a bylaw doesn't mean short-term rentals will end overnight. It's not easy for towns to enforce these types of rules, explained Jacques Demers, president of the Quebec Federation of Municipalities.

"You have to be able to prove it," he said, "to prove that money was paid for a service."

Not all the residents of Eastman are against the short-term rentals.

Jean-François Léveillée, who occasionally rents out his property, said the proposed ban may be an example of government overreach.

"Between taxes and everything else, I can understand why people would want to make a bit of money on their lakeshore properties."

Debate over Airbnb across the province

Eastman is the latest Quebec municipality to host a debate over the pros and cons of short-term rentals like Airbnb.

In 2016, a law came into effect requiring Quebecers who list their properties on Airbnb and other home rental websites to register with the province.

The law requires people who rent out accommodations for no more than 31 consecutive days to have a permit and pay a hotel tax.

In June, Montreal's Ville-Marie borough voted to "substantially reduce" the number of short-term rental properties allowed to operate in the city centre.

The change aimed to address growing conflicts between permanent residents and vacation renters in the area.

When the motion was passed, Airbnb spokesperson Alex Dagg told CBC News he wanted to work with the Ville-Marie borough to make sure any new rules would "balance affordability concerns with the right of everyday people to share their homes."