Revelstoke narrows in on short-term rental future

Revelstoke’s short-term rental future was up for conversation at a Thursday, Nov. 13 Committee of the Whole meeting as Paul Simon, director of development services, presented three updated scenarios for council to discuss before staff reach out for community input.

Working with Deloitte Canada to create an economic impact analysis, staff are exploring the impacts of three separate scenarios the city could move forward with. 

• Allowing STRs in all low-density residential areas within Revelstoke
• Allowing STRs in specific low-density residential areas deemed appropriate to supporting STRs 
• Allowing STRs in all low-density residential areas with a cap on approved business licenses

Mayor Gary Sulz said the wider the net Deloitte can cast for data, the more council and staff have to work with to see what impact any of the STR resolutions would have on Revelstoke.

“One of our biggest concerns is unintended consequences,” Sulz told Jamie Vann Struth, Deloitte economics consultant. “We can have all the information before use. But if we’re not poised to make a decision then we’ve kind of held ourselves up.”

While staff are focused on a “Revelstoke solution” for STRs, Simon pointed out that continued monitoring would be needed, no matter the scenario. 

Scenarios to monitor could include bylaw enforcement expanding across the city as more zones for STRs are opened up, reviewing new strata regulations or others Deloitte could warn staff about.

“We are never going to get anything 100 per cent right off the bat,” Simon said. “We have to monitor this every couple of years.”

Staff aim to host a public engagement opportunity by February 2026 to present the three scenarios and hear from Revelstoke before drafting updated bylaws by March and then bringing the draft to council by April. Updated information and public session notices will be available through the STR section of TalkRevelstoke.