BILL NO. 168

(a) "designated entity" means the entity designated by the regulations;

(c) adding immediately after clause (aa) the following clause:

(ab) "municipality" has the same meaning as in the Municipal Government Act;

2 Chapter 9 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 3 the following Sections:

3A (1) Upon registration under this Act, a platform operator shall pay the following fees to the designated entity:

(a) subject to subsection (2), a registration fee of $5,000 per year; and

(b) $1 per night of occupancy booked through the platform.

(2) The fees collected under this Section must be added to the municipal financial capacity grants made pursuant to Section 8 of the Municipal Grants Act and distributed to municipalities in accordance with that Act.

3B (1) Upon registration under this Act, a person carrying on the business of a host shall pay the following fees to the designated entity:

(a) for a host offering short-term rentals of roofed accommodations for fewer than 100 nights per year, a registration fee of $250 per year for each accommodation being rented to the public;

(b) for a host offering short-term rentals of roofed accommodations for 100 nights per year or more, $750 per year for each accommodation being rented out to the public.

(2) The fees collected pursuant to this Section must be distributed to the municipalities where the accommodations are located in accordance with the regulations.

(3) A municipality may use the revenue provided to it pursuant to this Section to support non-market housing, such as non-profit housing and co-operative housing.

3C Upon registration, the designated entity shall provide information to a host regarding that person's obligation to charge and remit the tax imposed under subsection 165(2) of the Excise Tax Act (Canada) with respect to the accommodation being rented out to the public.

3D Every platform operator listing, advertising or facilitating the listing or advertising of short-term rentals of roofed accommodations in the Province shall ensure that all hosts who use the platform register in accordance with this Act.

3E (1) Where the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing determines, in accordance with the regulations, that the rental vacancy rate in a certain municipality or the entirety of the Province is such that the diversion of long-term rentals to short-term rentals would adversely affect the availability of long-term rental accommodations, the Minister may direct the designated entity to stop registering persons as hosts in the municipality or the entirety of the Province, as the case may be.

(2) Where a municipality determines, in accordance with the regulations, that the rental vacancy rate in the entirety of the municipality or certain neighbourhoods or districts is such that the diversion of long-term rentals to short-term rentals would adversely affect the availability of long-term rental accommodations in the municipality, neighbourhood or district, it may direct the designated entity to stop registering persons as hosts in the municipality, neighbourhood or district, as the case may be.

(3) The determinations referred to in subsections (1) and (2) may be made on an annual basis.

(4) The designated entity shall immediately stop registering persons as hosts if directed by to do so by the Minister or a municipality in accordance with subsections (1) and (2).

3 Section 5 of Chapter 9 is amended by adding "(1)" immediately after the Section number and adding the following subsection:

(2) Every platform operator who allows a host to use its platform without the host first registering under this Act is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than $1,000 per day for each unregistered host on its platform.

4 Clause 6(1)(e) of Chapter 9 is repealed and the following clauses substituted:

(e) designating the entity for the purpose of this Act;

(ea) determining how fees must be distributed to municipalities in accordance with subsection 3B(2);

(eb) respecting the determination of rental vacancy rates in accordance with subsections 3E(1) and (2);

5 Chapter 18 of the Acts of 1998, the Municipal Government Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 174 the following Section:

174A Without limiting the generality of Section 172, a council may make by-laws restricting short-term rentals, as defined in the Tourist Accommodations Registration Act, to owner-occupied premises.

6 Chapter 39 of the Acts of 2008, the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, is amended by adding immediately after Section 192 the following Section:

192A Without limiting the generality of Section 188, the Council may make by-laws restricting short-term rentals, as defined in the Tourist Accommodations Registration Act, to owner-occupied premises.

7 Subsection 47A(1) of Chapter 23 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Assessment Act, as enacted by Chapter 10 of the Acts of 2019, is amended by

(a) adding ", with fewer than four rooms or units available for rent," after "property" in the second line; and

(b) striking out "fully or" in the fourth line and substituting "owner-occupied and only".

8 Clause 179(1)(bi) of Chapter 23, as enacted by Chapter 10 of the Acts of 2019, is amended by striking out "number of rooms and other" immediately after "the" the first time it appears in the first line.