The leader of the B.C. Green Party calls the BC Government's deal with Airbnb "a good first step" from a tax fairness perspective. But Andrew Weaver says it won't change behaviour or free up long-term rental stock that's been taken out of the market due to short-term rental services in a time of near zero vacancy rates.
Weaver says the province needs to proactively encourage and support local governments to take action to restrict and regulate short-term rentals -- just as the cities of Victoria and Vancouver have.
Weaver is calling on government to create an Emerging Economy Task Force to address disruptive economic and technological changes on the horizon.
Meantime the Green Leader says he's looking forward to finding out what's in the provincial budget -- and hopes the government will take action to address the role of speculators in our housing market.