FAQs

A short-term accommodation (STA) is a temporary overnight accommodation for paying guests who are staying fewer than 31 consecutive days. A short-term accommodation is often booked online, without any in-person interaction, and is mainly used by visitors/tourists.

Short-term accommodations in private residences are not new. People have been renting out their cottages and cabins for decades through classified ads, word of mouth and online buy and sell sites (i.e., Craigslist, Kijiji). 

Recently, there has been increased use of online accommodation platforms (i.e., Airbnb, Vacation Rental By Owner, aka VRBO). These platforms have made it possible for short-term accommodations to expand and compete with traditional accommodation providers (i.e., hotels, motels, Bed & Breakfasts).

Right now, residents are only permitted to use their homes as licensed Bed & Breakfasts. Bed & Breakfasts have been permitted in single detached homes in the City for over 10 years. They are regulated through the Zoning Bylaw and Business Licence Bylaw. Residents must obtain a business licence and meet all BC Building and Fire Code requirements.

A principal residence is defined as the dwelling unit where a person lives for a minimum of five months in a calendar year and conducts daily affairs (such as paying bills and receiving mail).

By requiring a business licence for short-term accommodations (STAs), it provides the opportunity for additional information and documentation to be required to help ensure:

• property owners are educated on City nuisance bylaws
• accommodations are safe spaces
• operations are properly managed so that guests will be respectful of neighbouring residents.

The draft framework proposes allowing short-term accommodations (STAs) in secondary suites or detached garden suites that have approved building permits. The draft framework proposes that the City permits only one STA per property.

No, you must comply with your strata’s bylaws. Written authorization from the strata council and proof of compliance with strata bylaws is required for business licensing.

The draft framework proposes that only a registered owner of the property, who occupies the dwelling as their principal residence, would be eligible to apply for a short-term accommodation (STA) business licence. Tenants, family members who are not registered on title, or other occupiers of the property would not be eligible to obtain a STA business licence.

To prevent multiple registered owners from obtaining individual licences for a single property, the proposed framework would only permit one short-term accommodation business licence to be issued per property.

No. Under the draft framework, a person may only have one Short-Term Accommodation business licence, for the property where they reside for the majority of the year (their principal residence).

Yes. Currently, a property inspection is required as part of the business licence application process for any potential business use and is proposed to continue as part of the proposed framework. 

If you are currently operating a licenced Bed and Breakfast and the proposed framework is adopted, your business will require licensing under the new short-term accommodation (STA) regulations. This is because the proposed framework includes Bed & Breakfasts as a type of STA.

More information will be provided directly to those affected should the proposed framework be adopted. 

Property management businesses and commercial operations are ineligible for a Short-Term Accommodation licence. A business licence can only be issued to the principal resident who lives at the property. 

Maple Ridge, like rest of the province, is experiencing rental shortages and lack of affordable housing. There are two initiatives currently underway as part of the larger Housing Action Plan to help address these issues:

1. RS-1 Zoning Review
   The RS-1 Zone is a residential zone that currently allows primary use of a single detached home and a secondary use (like a detached garden suite or secondary suite) in addition to a workshop/shed/detached garage. The RS-1 Zone Review aims to alleviate lack of affordable housing by: 
   • permitting a duplex in the RS-1 Zone;
   • permitting two lot subdivision for single detached houses in the RS-1 zone;
   • accelerating the approval process for some housing types in this zone; and
   • ensuring the design of new housing fits with the neighbourhood and is situated near schools/transit.

To learn more about this project, please visit: https://www.mapleridge.ca/2667

1. Secondary Suite & Detached Garden Suite Regulatory Review
   A review of Secondary Suite and Detached Garden Suite regulations is underway to expand rental housing supply and assist with housing affordability. This review, guided by the community’s feedback, could result in changes to the regulations such as:
   • allowing secondary suites in single-detached residential zones and in ground-oriented duplexes;
   • permitting secondary suites and detached garden suites on the same lot in the Agricultural Land Reserve;
   • permitting larger detached garden suites in specific residential zones; and/or
   • developing a program to create “pre-approved” building plan templates for detached garden suites

To learn more about this review, please visit: https://www.mapleridge.ca/1877

The draft requirements include three key changes that would ensure accountability for property owners managing a Short-Term Accommodation (STA):

• Must be within someone’s Principal Residence. STAs must be where the property owner(s) live(s) the majority of the year. This would mean STAs are located where owners are invested in the surrounding neighbourhood and concerned about the care and maintenance of their property.
• Must have a Business Licence. STA operators must obtain a business license. This would help ensure operators are educated on City nuisance bylaws and safety requirements while providing the Bylaw Department with the operator’s contact information.
• Only one STA is permitted per property. This would help ensure that STAs are properly operated while prioritizing the safety of the neighbourhood, guests, and property owner.

Your feedback on the proposed requirements is important and guides staff’s work! Please complete the survey available at https://engage.mapleridge.ca/sta before March 6, 2023.