Re: 鈥淧roposed rental-bylaw ban a nightmare for small stratas,鈥� column, Jan. 5.
I am an owner, investor and strata-council president in two strata corporations on Vancouver Island. I am appalled at the prospect that legislation is currently being proposed to repeal rental bylaws from existing strata corporations, without consent.
I agree with Tony Gioventu that such unilaterally imposed legislation will do more harm than good, insofar as promoting increased rental inventory. In fact, I foresee serious civil repercussions as a result.
Our strata in Sidney recently passed unanimously a no-rentals bylaw for our 1997-incorporated, 20-unit building. This measure was undertaken in an attempt to provide residents with more control over our right to peace and bylaw compliance, as we have recently experienced significant troubles in that regard with rental tenants.
What right has our provincial government to repeal our strata鈥檚 legally registered (no-rental) bylaws without extensive owner consultation? Where would we condominium owners expect to move to escape the inevitable disharmony resulting if the government removed rental restrictions from our building?
I believe that if our government truly wants to increase rental stock, it should provide suitable tax incentives, affordable (government?) land and other financial inducements to qualifying developers. Forcing rentals upon otherwise stable stratas is a step in exactly the wrong direction, as well as a recipe for civil unrest, in my opinion.
Peter Lefeaux
Sidney
