View Royal residents will be asked if they want to allow short-term rentals when they vote in the October 17, 2026 General Local Election. View Royal Council directed staff at its September 1 meeting to put a non-binding question on the ballot, after years of debate over the town’s complete ban on Airbnb and similar platforms.
The question will read: ‘Are you in favour of allowing short-term rentals in the Town of View Royal, if they are conducted in alignment with Provincial legislation?’ Voters will have a simple yes or no choice. The result will not force any immediate change, but it will guide the incoming council.
View Royal has banned short-term rentals since November 2022. Under Zoning Bylaw No. 900, vacation rentals and Airbnb are prohibited everywhere in the municipality as either a main or secondary use. The only overnight accommodation allowed is a registered bed and breakfast operated by a resident on a large lot.
The ban has been controversial. On May 19, 2026, council voted 4-2 against a motion to align local rules with provincial requirements. Only Councillors Don Brown and Gery Lemon supported the change. Mayor Sid Tobias, who led the original ban citing housing affordability concerns, is not running for re-election.
Two candidates have emerged for mayor: Ryan Painter, who is endorsed by Councillors Don Brown and Ron Mattson, and former mayor David Screech. A new council could shift the town’s direction, depending on the plebiscite results.
The province’s Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act already restricts short-term rentals to a host’s principal residence in communities over 10,000 people. View Royal falls under that rule, but the town’s own bylaw remains stricter. The plebiscite will tell politicians what residents actually want, but the final decision will rest with whoever wins a seat on council.
