Editor:
Short-term rentals are an investor’s dream and a community’s nightmare.
Today I learned we will be losing one more professional couple from the Sunshine Coast due to lack of, not only affordable, but any accommodation. With no prospect of finding a suitable affordable suite they will move to Vancouver. More and more people are using their homes as short-term rentals, making the long-term rental market non-existent. Every business is suffering to find employees – we have a police shortage, a nurse and doctor shortage; the organization I work for has seven positions it cannot fill, putting a terrible strain on staff.
Not long ago this was a beautiful place to live – good restaurants, sufficient services, a slower lifestyle than the big city – but due to the increase of investor house purchases we have almost zero rental units available. Those that are “available” are often horrific places you wouldn’t let your dog live in (another issue!).
This isn’t your problem? No STR near your house so who cares? What about the ramifications of having no accommodation for the people who serve us and make our lifestyle possible?
We have to stand up against this issue or face the ruin of our community. It is bad enough that rents have to be high to manage the mortgage payments due to the high cost of ownership, but the fact that there is actually nowhere to rent at all is eventually going to be your problem, whether you realize it right now or not. Please ask your local government to say no to STRs. And if you have the room, create a suite – an affordable suite!
Sandra Cunningham, Gibsons
