Short-term tourist rentals to be required to register with province

HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia government is requiring all short-term rentals to register with the province by April 2023.

Under recent changes to the Tourist Accommodation Registration Act, all shortterm rentals — including those within people's homes — must register annually with the Tourist Accommodations Registry and include their registration number in their online booking platform listings.

Previously, short-term rentals were exempt from the registry if the rentals were operated in or attached to the host's primary residence.

The change takes effect by April 1, 2023, and operators must have their rental registered by that date.

The new regulations also require that operators ensure their accommodation meets municipal bylaws.

Pat Dunn, minister of communities, culture, tourism and heritage, said the new rules will clarify information on short-term rentals and help municipalities enforce landuse bylaws.

"This is another tool to help us balance the demand for tourism accommodations with the need for more housing across the province," said Dunn.

There are also requirements in the new regulations for short-term rental marketing platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo. The platforms will need to ensure only operators with a valid registration number are selling short-term rentals.

They will also be required to share information covered under the Tourist Accommodations Registration Act with the province to help with enforcement.