Two months after the fire that claimed seven lives in a Montreal building housing several short-term rental units, Quebec intervened. In a bill, the CAQ government forces digital platforms like Airbnb to ensure the legality of their homes and exposes them to fines.
Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx introduced Bill 25 on Tuesday “to combat illegal tourist accommodation.” This provides for obliging any short-term rental establishment to obtain a “registration certificate”.
If passed as is, the bill will require digital accommodation platforms to certify the legality of its accommodations. They will also have to draw up clear portraits of their rental stock to the government.
The text tabled Tuesday provides that offenders pay fines of $5,000 to $50,000, in the case of a natural person, and $10,000 to $100,000, in the case of a legal person.
In March, a fire started in a building in Old Montreal containing several illegal tourist accommodation units caused the death of seven people, leading the Coroner’s Office to launch a public inquiry. In the wake of this tragedy, Minister Proulx confirmed her intentions to revise the Tourist Accommodation Act.
Further details will follow.
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