More than 70 short-term housing landlords who did not have a permit have received a warning from the City of Saguenay, which wants to regularize this type of practice.
interviewed by TVA Nouvelles, there is still a lot of work to do since it is estimated that approximately 200 rental sites are operating illegally in the municipality.
The majority of offenders who received a warning took steps to regularize their status, but 23 of them decided to give up their practice.
Currently, a permit application comes with a public consultation. “It’s more or less well received in the neighborhood, we can understand why, rightly or wrongly, people oppose it,” explained Jimmy Bouchard, municipal councilor for Lac-Kénogami and member of the Advisory Committee of urban planning of Saguenay.
“You need a permit, you have to pay business taxes, you have to have business insurance as soon as it’s not your main accommodation,” added Joseph Simard of Hebergements Saguenay.
Moreover, a new law will soon come into force in Saguenay, to the chagrin of the municipality.
On March 25, Quebec will allow owners of principal residences to allow short-term rentals provided that the zoning regulations in force are respected.
This would therefore reduce the municipalities’ power of action in this type of file.
In Lamarche, Lac-Saint-Jean, rental cottages are particularly popular, which led the municipality to legislate after conducting a count of rental residences.
The regulation adopted by the municipality does not accept any rental for a group of more than 12 people, and imposes a maximum of two occupants per room.
“It is to avoid laxity, the impression that we can do whatever we want in rental, explained the mayor Michel Bergeron. The rules provide that we ask to close shop at 11 o’clock. I think we are at the forefront.”
Lamarche could thus serve as a model for other municipalities.
“Some have asked us for a copy of the regulations, to serve as a basis for them,” said Mr. Bergeron.
– With information from Jean Houle, TVA Nouvelles