Winnipeggers raise concerns over short-term rentals in residential neighbourhoods

Peaceful, quiet, and respectful. Those were the words residents on Winnipeg’s Donalda Avenue once used when describing their neighbourhood.

That was, however, until the arrival of a short-term rental to their street, one they say has brought nothing but disruptions and chaos along with it.

Miranda Romanyshyn and her husband Walter have lived in their home for over four decades, and admit they weren’t keen on the idea of a short-term rental moving next door.

But after 19 months of what they describe as one disturbance after another, including numerous instances where renters have mistaken her home for their Airbnb, Romanyshyn is calling on the province and the city to ban the practice in residential neighbourhoods.

“All we want is to get our neighbourhood back, to the nice quiet residential without the increased foot traffic, without unsavoury characters walking around so we can have a peaceful sleep at night and not be woken up in the middle of the night,” said Romanyshyn.

Alex Megyeri is one of the over dozen local residents to sign a petition in favour of the ban on short-term rentals, arguing as property owners they shouldn’t feel afraid while in the safety of their own homes.

“Mistakingly taking my parking pad or knocking on my door coming to the wrong place. It’s taking what is a quiet residential neighbourhood and it’s trying to set up a miny hotel,” said Megyeri.

“My wife says she feels like she can’t enjoy her own home as much anymore, like she can’t go into her own backyard because there are always strangers coming and going. It’s a tragedy. It sucks to see.”

British Columbia and Quebec have recently put in place strict rules on short-term rentals with significant fines amid rising concerns.

For example in Quebec, as of last fall, people who want to rent their properties for stays of 31 days or fewer must first acquire registration numbers from the provincial industry regulator.

But while Manitoba has yet to enact similar legislation, in Lac du Bonnet, roughly 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg, prospective short-term renters must be permanent or seasonal residents, and must also receive written support from all adjacent property owners.

It’s an approach that Romanyshyn believes Winnipeg should follow suit with.

“These Airbnbs need to be right beside (Councillor Jason) Schreyer, (Winnipeg Mayor Scott) Gillingham, and (Manitoba Premier Wab) Kinew and then maybe they’d know what we are going through,” said Romanyshyn.

In response to inquiries into the short-term rental in question, the City of Winnipeg did confirm they had investigated a recent complaint, but that no enforcement action was required.