6 months on, more than 200 Airbnb listings appear to violate Winnipeg’s new short-term rental bylaw

Click here to read a version of this story in French.

Changes to Winnipeg’s bylaw on short-term rental accommodations have been in effect for six months, but some St. Boniface residents say the rules are being broken at buildings in their neighbourhood.

Lucie-Madeleine Delisle has lived in her north St. Boniface apartment for over 10 years. She says the quality of life for her and her neighbours has deteriorated since an apartment block, owned by a numbered company, was built next door in 2020.

Delisle considers herself fortunate to live at the end of her building that’s furthest from the one next door, at 153 Aubert St. 

“Several of my neighbours, who are much closer, have told me on several occasions that there are parties, noise, comings and goings, and shady people coming around,” she told Radio-Canada in French — signs that suggest a lot of short-term rentals in the building, she said.

“I’m worried about the situation, and I don’t know what measures should be taken, but the consensus in my building is definitely that things have to change.”

Anthony Robertson, who lives a few doors down from 153 Aubert, is also concerned about the building. 

“I see the change over every weekend. They rent out to whoever,” he said in September.

“I come home on the Friday and I see all the cars lining up in front on the street…. So we sit there and go, ‘Oh, what’s this weekend gonna bring?’ So it’s frustrating, right? Because they’re only here for the weekend, and this is our home,” said Robertson.

“I’m fed up and tired of the crap that goes on here.”

He says he’s seen cars parked on the grass of a vacant lot in front of his home, and some weekends the area is littered with trash. 

Last month, one person was taken to hospital after a shooting in the area.

“Someone’s got to just say, ‘That’s enough,'” said Robertson.

Radio-Canada found three of 153 Aubert’s roughly 20 units advertised on the short-term rental platform Airbnb. That number of listings complies with the city’s bylaw on short-term rentals, which came into force on April 1.

It states that a partnership or corporation can license up to three short-term rentals, provided they owned them on or before Feb. 23, 2023, when the new rules were approved by city council.

For newer owners, only one short-term rental is allowed per owner, and they can only rent out their primary residence.

5 listings over 2 buildings

The three units at 153 Aubert are among five listings Radio-Canada found on Airbnb by Suite Stay Properties. The other two units are located at 384 Stradbrook Ave., in the Osborne Village area, a building owned by a different company, according to a search of land titles and companies records.

The buildings are owned by two separate numbered companies that have the same three shareholders, according to the records. 

Those listings appear to violate the city’s bylaw.

“[Even] though the number of listings they have from one property owner may be within the allowable number, their total number of listings still cannot exceed one primary residence (and/or up to three non-primary residences if owned before Feb. 23, 2023),” City of Winnipeg spokesperson Adam Campbell said in an email.

Radio-Canada reached out to Suite Stay Properties, as well as to the owners of 153 Aubert and 384 Stradbrook. They did not respond to requests for comment prior to publication.

Though only five units are listed between the two properties, the Airbnb listing descriptions and some reviews suggest many more units in the buildings are actually being used for short-term rentals.

When Radio-Canada first contacted the city in September about 153 Aubert and 384 Stradbrook, Campbell said neither building had a licence to operate as a short-term rental, and the city was investigating.

When contacted again last week, Campbell said that had changed.

“Since September, we have issued one short-term rental licence and received an additional two pending applications at 153 Aubert St., and received two pending applications at 384 Stradbrook Ave. We have not issued any fines at either property,” he said in an email.

“We continue to work with owners and operators to inform them of the permit requirements for short-term rental units.”

Host offers 74 different accommodations

Radio-Canada has identified more than 20 hosts and over 200 Winnipeg listings on Airbnb that appear to be in violation of the bylaw, to varying degrees.

Some hosts list four or five dwellings. A handful display around 20 listings each. One offers 74 different accommodations.

Waverley West city councillor and Deputy Mayor Janice Lukes says four people have been hired to implement and enforce the city’s new regulations. They use a software tool called AirDNA to scan websites for short-term rental ads, and then cross-reference the results to the city’s registry, she said.

However, Lukes said it takes a while to implement new regulations and educate people, and some may not be aware of the bylaw changes.

“If people see issues, if they’re seeing nonstop people turning over, parties, whatever, they need to call” the city’s 311 line to complain, said Lukes. Bylaw investigators “will definitely be dealing with the ones where they get complaints.”

They may initially issue a warning, and “some of them will probably fly under the radar for a while,” she said.

But “if they get a multiple number of fines, they’ll get their licence taken away and they won’t be able to get it back.”

Lukes said the city’s bylaw team will provide council with a complete update in the fall of 2026.

While owners might plead ignorance, Airbnb Canada spokesperson Matt McNama says the company “works with the city to help promote compliance with short-term rental rules,” including a responsible hosting page for Winnipeg on its website.

Delisle says she’s upset 153 Aubert’s owners don’t seem to be mindful of the neighbourhood’s peace and quiet, but believes it’s up to the city to force owners to act.

“I don’t think [the city’s doing] enough at the moment, because we’re not seeing any change,” she said. “They have to take on a punitive role. It’s a shame it’s come to this.”