A commentary by the owners of a rental property in Parksville.
Further to the Parksville mayor’s request for an exemption request to B.C.’s short-term rental ban, here is more insight about what the Resort Row area owners in Parksville are experiencing.
We recently purchased a unit in the Tanglewood resort community, renovated it and bought new furniture. Our dream was to offer B.C. vacationers the best experience possible.
Several days after we completed our hard work, the B.C. government decided to target properties located in the hotel zone.
It has been a nightmare since. We cannot understand why the government is targeting resort condominium units in a tourist seaside area. This area is not suitable for affordable housing.
We have followed all the rules with the best intention, and if no exception is granted , we will be severely impacted.
We understand the need for affordable housing but this area should never have been considered. It is by Rathtrevor Park, along the ocean and by a beautiful sandy beach, where families of all income levels come to enjoy the ocean and build beautiful memories.
Here are the main reasons why the minister of housing should revisit the decision to ban short-term rentals.
Showing a minimum of understanding and acting on it would be well accepted by B.C. residents.
1. The Parksville resort area is not suitable for affordable housing. The government should focus on more affordable areas to promote affordable housing.
2. Rezoning the Parksville hotel area will have disastrous financial implications for owners of resort condominium units, who observed all the rules and continued to pay multiple taxes to fund affordable housing.
3. Subsidizing affordable housing is the government’s responsibility, not private citizens.
4. The price paid to acquire a property in the hotel zone was based on tourist commercial zoning. Rezoning the area would be catastrophic for numerous owners, either if renting long-term or selling.
5. Removing vacation properties from the hotel zone will lower the quality of life of B.C. residents as they will lose access to seaside properties built to accomodate large families. If the rezoning is allowed, this unique hotel stock will be lost forever.
6. Parksville, being a small town with an economy centred on tourism, will experience a significant loss of income.
7. The quality of hotel accommodations offered in the hotel zone is unique to Parksville. People come here from every corner of B.C.
8. The province will lose a major source of funding affordable housing through taxation.
We are working hard to get an exemption for the hotel zone in Parksville. Help us save the resort area.
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