Majority of Canadians Believe STRs Negatively Impact Housing Availability & Affordability

TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - Nanos Research today released compelling polling results indicating that a significant majority of Canadians favour regulations to limit commercial short-term rentals, citing concerns over their detrimental impact on housing availability and affordability. Conducted at the end of September, the random hybrid telephone and online survey has a margin of error of ±3.0 percentage points.

Since 2018, the perception among Canadians that short-term rentals negatively affect housing has doubled, reflecting a growing concern in the context of Canada's ongoing housing supply crisis.

"Since the beginning of our efforts in 2016, we have always been highlighting the negative impact that commercial short-term rentals have on our housing markets," says Lis Pimentel, Chair of the Fairbnb Canada Network. "This impact has not only been confirmed in study after study, both internationally and domestically, but this Nanos survey shows that a clear majority of Canadians feel this very impact on our housing affordability and availability."

Key Highlights:

• A majority of Canadians believe short-term rental properties negatively impact housing availability (51% negative; 23% somewhat negative) and rental prices (44% negative; 27% somewhat negative).
• Sentiment is strongest among young Canadians
• Three in five Canadians either support (39%) or somewhat support (23%) restrictions on commercial short-term rentals.

Not only is it clear that commercial short-term rentals increase housing costs and remove housing supply but over three in five Canadians support limiting commercial short-term rentals.

"We have consistently argued that regulations on short-term rentals are an essential, straightforward policy option for decision-makers," says Thorben Wieditz, Executive Director of the Fairbnb Canada Network. "These results confirm that Canadians agree limiting commercial short-term rentals is a clear solution. Since Airbnb doesn't' voluntarily police its inventory and thrives off commercial short-term rentals, governments across the country should adopt regulatory approaches to protect our housing affordability and availability."

SOURCE Fairbnb Canada

For more information, please contact: Thorben Wieditz, Email: [email protected], Phone: [phone]