Airbnb is putting in some serious work to help improve its image with regulating bodies in Canada and the City of Vancouver is applauding their move.
The massive room and home sharing service has partnered with the Quebec government to offer Canada’s first-ever tax remittance agreement of its kind. This means Airbnb will collect the tax on bookings then return it to the government after the transaction is complete.
According to a report on Global News today, the City says the Quebec tax is a chance for the city and the new B.C. government to start a conversation around new policies.
The City’s General Manager of Development, Buildings, and Licensing Kaye Krishna says both provincial and municipal negotiations and corporations with Airbnb is critical.
“We really think it’s important for both the federal and provincial government to look at tax equity and when we did our stakeholder engagement on short term rentals that was very loud and clear from the tourism industry that they were OK and in support of short term rentals but wanted to ensure that there was tax equity.”
Krishna says the city is considering all tax ideas, from a sales tax to a destination marketing fee that some hotels charge, but formal proposals have yet to be made.
Last modified: August 30, 2017