Bill No. 101 - Tourist Accommodations Registration Act. - Third Reading

CLAUDIA CHENDER: Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to both the minister and to the member for Cape Breton-Richmond. I think that there are, as I've said before, a number of distinct and different issues around this topic of Airbnb, depending on where you find yourself in the province. I think that the member for Cape Breton-Richmond canvassed some of the issues around rural communities, around specific property identification numbers but as an urban MLA, I would say that when the sharing economy is genuinely a sharing economy and is embracing that spirit of entrepreneurship, those folks earning $7,000 a year that the minister referred to, then it's great and it's robust and it's wonderful and, as we've heard, it can be a major economic boost and it can help individuals and families, and that's wonderful.

But, make no mistake, that's not everybody who is involved, and I don't want to say that there are bad actors particularly, but I think it would be a mistake to look at this multi-million dollar, $70 million whatever it is industry, and not think that it requires some regulation. That is the role of government and I think that there are plenty of case studies particularly in urban areas of cities that have experienced major, major challenges with housing affordability and all kinds of related issues when Airbnb has run rampant because, yes, to the enforcement point, there are lots of regulations. People do in general follow the law because it's the law, but then there are people who exploit the systems that exist, and this has happened on these platforms and throughout the sharing economy more times than can be counted.

I do think it's important that we keep an eye, and that this government, keep an eye on this huge and, in many ways, exciting economic opportunity that has taken over the province.

In general, I would say we are supportive of this bill. I think my colleague will speak to it.

I would echo the concerns that the member for Halifax Needham and the member for Cape Breton-Richmond have voiced, that homeowners and property owners be involved as the regulations are rolled out. I think that the focus of this bill has been on levelling the playing field with the historic tourism operators and the points on that are well taken. The reality is that this has as much of an impact on communities, as it does on hotel operators and owners. It's important that those community voices be heard as these regulations are contemplated and rolled out. With those few words I'll take my seat.