Do I need any type of business license or certificates to start hosting Airbnb in Montreal, Quebec?

[Lynn-Hoang0]

Dear Hosts,

I am preping to list my apartment in Montreal, Quebec on Airbnb. Do I need any kind of business license or certificates to start hosting in this particular region?

Thank you,

Lynn 🙂

[Linda108]

The steps I took for my city was to go to the city website and searched for "short term rentals"   In my city both a business license and a short term rental license is needed.  I also pay occupancy tax which I include in the rate rather than collect separately.  Good Luck!

[Lynn-Hoang0]

Dear Linda,

Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. 

All the best with your listing 🙂

Lynn

[Kim87]

Officially yes, you do.

The procedure isn't easy, since the new bill 67 (december 2015). You'll find a resume here :

https://www.airbnb.fr/help/article/1281/quebec

But this law has has been dicted by hotel lobby. If you want to ask Tourisme Québec for credit, i advise that you ask to you arrondissement first. On the Plateau, only commercial buildings with commercial taxes accounts are allowed. If the arrondissement says no, you kind of snitch yourself to inspectors when you ask for certification at Tourisme Québec.

This law will treat you as if you were opening a big hotel on a commercial street, exactly, aucune nuance. It doesn't make sense, but that is how it was written.

I am renting my garden level with independent entry. If i need it, i won't rent; if family is visiting, i wont rent. If i want to help syrian refugees and host them for free a couple of weeks, i will stop renting. It's my place, i'm the owner. Yet, in bill 67, since my place is officially available more than a week a year (see definitions of location occasionnelle), i should act like i own a hotel.

Good luck with that. I think this law has so many flaws it won't last long without being edited.

http://www.ledevoir.com/economie/actualites-economiques/476700/hebergement-la-loi-anti-airbnb-pratiq...

http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/actualites-en-societe/477891/la-loi-anti-airbnb-est-aisement-contour...

but until then we have to deal with it.

[Fraser5]

Thanks for the info Kim. I'm also in the plateau, can you share any more info on going to the arrondissement instead of Tourism Quebec? Have you done this? 

Thanks!

[Shashi0]

The short answer to your question is yes you do. But most airbnb hosts in Montreal don't have it since the procedure isn't straight forward and the laws don't really apply to your situation. 

I also am a new host on airbnb. I'd like to ask you what exactly did you look for in your condo ownership by laws that allow you to do short term rentals or not?