Motion to ditch View Royal’s short-term rental ban fails

Motion to ditch View Royal’s short-term rental ban fails

Published 5:45 am Wednesday, June 3, 2026

View Royal residents hoping to list their homes on Airbnb and Vrbo over the long term are out of luck.

On May 19, council voted down a motion tabled by Coun. Don Brown aimed at lifting the town’s restriction on short-term rentals.

“We are not talking about hundreds of people lining up at the door to get a short-term rental permit,” said Brown, suggesting the town align with the province’s rules instead.

“Unless you’re NIMBY, I don’t understand why you wouldn’t allow short-term rentals in View Royal.”

This comes just over four months after council approved a motion green-lighting a two-month moratorium on the town’s short-term rental restrictions.

Brown, who tabled that motion, said the move could help draw World Cup fans to the region, while benefiting local restaurants, bars, shops, tourist attractions and golf courses.

But ditching the ban entirely didn’t sit well with the majority of council, with only Coun. Gery Lemon voting in support of Brown’s proposal.

Mayor Sid Tobias explained council first made the decision to ban short-term rentals in November of 2022 “because there were concerns about affordable housing.”

“The situation hasn’t changed for people living and working in our neighbourhood,” he added.

Coun. John Rogers expressed a similar sentiment, noting short-term rentals might incentivize landlords to drop their long-term tenants.

In the lead-up to the May 19 meeting, council received seven letters from members of the public, all of whom voiced their support for Brown’s motion.

“Responsible short-term rentals offer homeowners a valuable source of supplemental income that can help offset rising mortgage costs, property taxes and maintenance expenses,” said Scott Rutherford.

Another View Royal resident, Donna Porter, explained “short-term visitors also support many local businesses and services,” adding that “guests often shop locally at places like Four Mile, Thrifty Foods and Quality Foods, and make use of local transit, restaurants, walking routes and other amenities throughout View Royal and Victoria.”

While Tobias said he appreciates the points raised by residents advocating for short-term rentals, he noted, “I have yet to hear somebody who’s renting a suite that would soon be turned into a short-term rental about what their opinion is.”

“I think if we’re going to do it, we need fulsome engagement and to really look at the impact … on our affordable housing that we have, and we don’t have much of it left,” he added.

“My concern is do we have a diversity of housing available in View Royal before we look at something else.”

While communities across Greater Victoria, including Highlands, Langford, Victoria and Oak Bay, allow short-term rentals, View Royal is one of the few that prohibit them alongside Colwood and North Saanich.

The town’s short-term rental pause during FIFA matches will start June 1 and last until July 31.