Saskatoon to look at regulating Airbnb rentals in the city after complaints
City is the latest to look at whether there should be rules on renting out homes and apartments
The city of Saskatoon will examine whether Airbnb rentals need to be regulated. The city's planning committee has ordered a report from the administration on the matter after receiving complaints from a group of regulated bed and breakfast operators.
Bed and breakfast owners need business licenses and have to follow other city regulations.
But homes and apartments rented out through the popular Airbnb website don't have the same requirements.
"They've gone through all the hoops that we've put in front of them, and some other people are putting up an internet ad and doing the same thing that they're doing," said city councillor Eric Olauson.
"But they don't have the overhead or the burden of all the regulations we've thrown in front of them."
Other jurisdictions are also mulling regulations for Airbnb rentals including the provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia. San Francisco imposes a tax.