A public survey is now being conducted to help gauge Penticton’s mood on vacation rentals.
The survey is part of a review of the city’s short-term rental program, and one of the results could be stricter rules for such operations.
“This is one of many ways the city is exploring to help ease housing pressures in the community. This study will provide us with the information needed to support informed decisions about the future direction of the program,” Mayor Julius Bloomfield said in a press release Monday.
An electronic version of the questionnaire is available online at www.shapeyourcitypenticton.ca, while hard copies are available at the city hall and library. The deadline is January 27.
The survey data, along with the results of the review, is expected to be presented to the board this spring.
The council heard at its meeting on 20 December that the number of short-term rentals authorized in Penticton had increased from 152 to 365 over the past five years, although the actual number now in operation is estimated to be around 500.