On August 7, 2024, the Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing annouced new short term rental regulations.
New regulations for short-term rentals such as Airbnbs take effect on September 30 and will help make more long-term housing available.
“Nova Scotians need housing. We know many houses and apartments that could potentially be long-term homes are being rented short term,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “We’re working to get more homes built. In the meantime, these changes will help address the urgent need for housing now.”
Regulations under the Short-term Rentals Registration Act include new registration requirements, host categories, rates and penalties.Under the new registration requirements:
- all tourist accommodations and short-term rentals will be required to provide supporting documentation such as proof of compliance with municipal bylaws and, where applicable, written consent from the property owner(s) or condo board, and proof of primary residence
- annual registration rates range from $50 to $2,000 per unit depending on the accommodation type and location; higher rates apply to short-term rentals in areas where the need for housing is greater
- unregistered or non-compliant short-term rental operators may be subject to fines up to $100,000.Annual registration rates for traditional tourist accommodations, such as motels, hotels and inns, are not changing
The Province will engage external support to provide compliance monitoring services.Information and updates on the new regulations are available at: https://novascotia.ca/changes-tourist-accommodations-registry/.
If you are a short term rental operator and are looking for a letter of compliance from the Town of Antigonish, please send an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. In the email, please include your contact information including mailing address and the address for your rental if different from your mailing address. Also please clearly indicate if the property is owner-occupied.
