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NEIGHBOURS SPEAK UP

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A Resource for Nova Scotia Neighbours
Affected by Short-Term Rentals

And How Short-Term Rentals
Changed Our Neighbourhood

How You Can Help

Shape the Future of Short-Term Rentals in Our Province

Connect With Us!

We Welcome Any Suggestions,

Resources or Information You Have 

Welcome

On This Site You Will Find

  • Information about the formation of our neighbourhood group, objectives, on-going activities and resources
     

  • How you can take action to address the issues in your neighbourhood
     

  • Links to news stories highlighting issues and action
     

  • Links to current  legislation in Nova Scotia as well as regulatory approaches elsewhere
     

  • Updates and activity relating to legislative and regulatory change

About

Us

We are a group of concerned neighbours
in Halifax's North End speaking up about the impact short-term rentals

are having in our community.

Our goal is to effect change, shape fair legislation and restore the integrity of our neighbourhoods. 
FIND OUR NEWSLETTERS
AND READ MORE...​

Short-Term Rentals

Neighbourhoods in Halifax and across Nova Scotia are not the only ones struggling to catch up with the sudden growth of short-term rentals... 

"Airbnb is invading neighbourhoods. The homeshare business model is evolving from a home-sharing platform for short-term visitors into a service that empowers the operation of unregulated ghost hotels.

The growth of the ghost hotel sector has created legal grey zones, providing cover for vendors who buy and rent burner homes. Short-term rentals are invading neighbourhoods, creating potential tax compliance challenges and adding new zoning, building code and security risks for townhouses, condo towers and apartments.

In its wake, Airbnb and other platforms have left cities and neighbourhoods struggling to cope with the consequences, ranging from the loss of affordable housing stock to public safety and accountability concerns.

Airbnb’s impacts have given rise to coalitions in cities as diverse as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, Lisbon, New York, Reykjavik, San Francisco, Santa Monica and Los Angeles – just to name a few. Many jurisdictions have responded with new rules and new enforcement strategies to improve the accountability of Airbnb and other homeshare companies. Inspired by these success stories, we are bringing this debate to Canada to make sure our governments keep pace with this global trend."

 

Quoted, in solidarity, from the National Coalition website fairbnb.ca

To learn more about the National Coalition visit their website

Join Us

Help restore the integrity of our neighbourhoods

Take Action

1

Write a letter 

Contacting your Provincial, City /Town Government Representatives and Officials is the best way to have your opinion heard.

They need to know that you want action. 

Don't know who to contact?   We've got you covered...

Write to...

Your MLA or City Councillor

They represent YOU 

Make sure you let them know

your opinion

Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage
They are Responsible for
Short-term Rentals

in Nova Scotia
The Minister of
Infrastructure & Housing
They are Responsible for Housing 
in Nova Scotia

Find Your

Find The Minister of  

Find The Minister of

Don't Have Time to Write a Letter? Download and sign one of ours

MLA and City Councillor

The Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage

The Minister of Municipal Affairs & Housing

2

Make a Phone Call 

Contact 311
 
  • File ByLaw Complaints
     

  • File Illegally Parked Vehicle Complaints

3

Speak Up

Most people have spent time in short-term rentals but few have
lived next to one

 
  • Tell your story to family, friends and neighbours 
     

  • Meet with the short-term rental owner
    to address problems

     

  • Share local news on social media
     

  • Stay in touch with our campaign and share your story with us

Speak Out

"The first point of a city is to live in it, the second is to visit"

Spokesperson for the city of Amsterdam, as quoted in the Guardian 

Latest News

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CBC News

July 10th,2019

Airbnb industry needs regulation, community council agrees

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GLOBAL NEWS

July 9th, 2019

Halifax group issues warning to councillors about short-term rentals

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THE STAR Halifax

July 9th, 2019

Citizens group urges Halifax councillors to regulate short-term rentals and stop the ‘depletion of housing stock’

"I don't think there's any reasonable public policy justification for these [ghost hotels] to exist at all, let alone to be proliferating.”

McGill University urban planning professor David Wachsmuth

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