The province of Quebec and each borough of the City governs Montreal’s vacation rentals. The following article will look at the short term rules and regulations in the region of Quebec, and then more specific rules relating to the city of Montreal. This rundown should give you a good start in understanding your local laws.
Regulations in the province of Quebec
In the province of Quebec, the laws state that any individual who offers at least one accommodation unit for 31 days or less for rent to tourists, in return for payment, must acquire a classification certificate from Tourisme Québec.
Is a certificate of classification necessary to short term rent out my property?
The certificate of classification gives you the license to operate a residence as a short term rental. For Tourisme Québec, a residence is defined as an apartment, a suite, a house, a site for camping, or a cottage.
The following cases decide whether or not it is essential to get a certificate of classification. If you are –
- Willing to rent out one or more of your residences, outside your primary residence, for fewer than 31 days. In that case, you must obtain a certification of classification.
- Offering one or more residences that do not belong to you for rent for fewer than 31 days. In that case, you must obtain a certification of classification.
- If you are An individual renting out your primary residence, it is not essential to get a classification certificate. However, depending on your municipality’s regulations, other restrictions may apply.
What are the requirements to obtain a certificate of classification?
- You must have C$ 2 million liability insurance.
- Your listing needs to be public, for example, on Airbnb.
- You must follow municipal regulations.
- Your residence must pass a CITQ classifier inspection.
The CITQ classifier looks at the following:
- The cleanliness of your residence.
- The quality is of the different rooms.
- Conservation and maintenance of the rooms.
- The services you are offering.
- Elements of sustainable tourism include nearness to shopping centres, easy access to public transportation, etc.
Things to ensure even if you are NOT required to obtain a classification certificate:
- Make sure your municipality permits it.
- State the income generated from rent.
- Charge guests the lodging tax, and remit the amount to Revenu Québec, just like the QST and GST, if they apply.
Taxes
When a unit is rented out for more than 6 hours, hosts must collect a lodging tax on a regular 24-hour basis.
Note that Airbnb automatically collects this tax and sends the amount to Revenu Québec.
Other Short Term Rental Regulations
As a responsible host, you need to abide by other contracts or regulations that bind you. These include leases, community rules, HOA rules, or other guidelines set up by tenant associations. Depending on the short term renting platform you are using, there may be further guidelines that you may have to abide by. These could be regarding safety, keeping the neighbourhood peaceful etc.
In case of non-conformity to short term rental regulations, the city can issue penalties of up to C$ 50,000.
Montreal Bylaws
Short term renting in Montreal is relatively new, and so many short term rental regulations are still being revised. This is why we recommend you call your municipality to inquire about the possibility of short term renting in your area.
Certain municipalities in Quebec have zoning laws that must be followed, along with getting a classification certificate (if you are required to obtain one). These laws are a part of the Master Plan in Montreal and each borough. The Master Plan manages the city’s planning and development vision and building density and land-use policies.
Lockboxes
Montreal has now restricted the use of lockboxes on public property (like fences, parking meters, bike racks, etc.). To implement this new rule, the city has instructed its blue-collar workers to cut these lock boxes if they see them on public property.
Short Term Rental Restrictions in certain boroughs of Montreal:
Downtown Montreal
There must be a distance of at least 150m between each short term rental unit. Also, some areas downtown are not allowed to operate short term rentals.
South-West area of Montreal
Your short term rental unit must fall under the category of either an apartment hotel or bed and breakfast to receive a classification certificate.
Plateau-Mont-Royal
This borough’s recently passed regulations limit the possibility of renting out a unit for short term purposes in specific zones. The zones allowed are on St-Denis St. between Sherbrooke and Gilford Sts. Also, St- Laurent Blvd. between Sherbrooke St. and Mont-Royal Ave. are also allowed.
Other Boroughs
To get more information about other boroughs, you can visit Montreal’s website. Pick the borough where you would like to operate your short term rental, contact them directly, or contact us. About our Airbnb management Montreal services, you can follow this link.