BC Government backpedals on Airbnb Ban in Kelowna: Is it enough to save '26 summer tourism? My thoughts today on @CKNW with @jillreports.

We are living proof that Eby will NOT go to the wall for private property rights. We are still fighting him in court over 2 years later, for taking individual citizens property rights, in favour of international hotel chains. He never even SPOKE to us. Now his words "We have to go to the wall to defend those private properties....People's homes and businesses are not bargaining chips” are hollow. We are here David, come talk to us, show us what you mean. Actions speak louder than words. @Dave_Eby @KahlonRav @christineeboyle @bcndp @Adam_Stirling @CBCNews @CityOfVictoria @timescolonist @gavindew

Kelowna has done everything the NDP asked on housing. Vacancy is at a 20 year high. But the NDP is still making us wait another year to opt out of their one-size-fits-all short term rental rules. What message does that send to other municipalities? #bcpoli

Thank you to Gavin Dew for talking sense. The @bcndp continues to spread misinformation about the outcome of the short term rental ban. Overlooking the real cost to homeowners, travellers and tourism, trying to equate it to affordable housing gains. We see you @christineeboyle. @Dave_Eby @KahlonRav @gavindew

MLA Airbnb? “MLAs from all parties quietly voted this week to let themselves rent out rooms in their taxpayer-funded Victoria condos—to each other. The move clears the way to double dip on housing allowances to the tune of almost $52,000 annually” biv.com/news/commentary/rob-…

“We noticed it immediately.  Our sales dropped.  Our traffic dropped,” Sawin said.   “We used to have lineups out the door and now our bar is empty.” globalnews.ca/news/11332055/… Short-term rental restrictions blamed for Kelowna’s soft tourism season - Okanagan |

Let me try and explain what growing an economy in simple terms is. I bought a business in Victoria, it is a small Micro loft 320 Sq ft , overlooking the inner harbour. It was zoned to be able to rent out as a short term rental. I paid my property taxes, license fees . It was a thriving business, supplementing my retirement income. I hired a manager to look after it and was responsible for the bookings and running the business. She in turn hired cleaners and maintenance people. I paid GST and provincial taxes. Tourists from all over the world came and stayed in our unit. We recommend all kinds of activities for them to enjoy, in fact we arranged with local businesses discounts for our guests. Then one day without any warning, the Provincial Government took our rights away, apparently because a housing and affordable rentals shortage . What the government didn’t take into account, these units were too small for families or even couples to rent over a long period. I business suffered and suddenly we were unable to rent our unit The government demonized us, saying that we were greedy landlords, that was the furthest from the truth, all we were trying to do was supplement our income as we are retired. So when the government uses phrases as “ we are the engine for the economy. This is such nonsense. We have been robbed of our investment @Dave_Eby @JohnRustad4BC @bcndp @koicows @Conservative_BC @Adam_Stirling @PropertyRtsBC

The COV councillors explicitly asked the Province of BC to make them illegal. 634 legal vacation rentals by owners in the downtown core were wiped out and everyone has lost because of it. Tourism is down, Hotel Prices are for the rich only. And mom and pop owners lost their investments

The City of Victoria pulled a very suspect move when they first encouraged legal tourism zoned, licensed vacation rentals by owners in new condos being built in the downtown core, so that they could rejuvenate down and out neighbourhoods. Then once the neighbourhoods were thriving....

“BCREA’s pleas come ahead of growing concerns, especially in Metro Vancouver, where the demand is greatest, that the overall accommodations supply is not keeping up with demand, resulting in escalating nightly hotel rates — now the highest among Canada’s major urban centres.”

Now that tourism & local economies are suffering and housing affordability has not improved, citizens are asking their leaders to look at the real motive behind the Vacation Rental by Owner ban. "Why Banning Vacation Rentals is Such a Bad Idea" Read the article here: bcstra.ca/media/articles/why… @Dave_Eby @KahlonRav @bcndp

“We continue to work with the government on their short-term rental law, but we join in the concerns from local hosts that the regulations will impact tourism without benefiting the housing crisis,” Howell wrote biv.com/news/bc-pushes-ahead…