Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Parks Canada has withdrawn proposed amendments to private home accommodation (PHA) requirements that could have impacted operators throughout town.
Karen Phillips, an owner/PHA host at Columbine House and treasurer of the Jasper Home Accommodation Association, said she was shocked when she first received the amendment package.
“The amendments will significantly change what private home accommodation hosts can offer to our guests, and most of us don’t conform to what’s being proposed and, in most cases, won’t have the ability to make changes to conform,” Phillips said.
“So, I think in the majority of cases, people would wind up having to close their private home accommodations.”
PHAs are short-term commercial accommodation rentals that are within private residences and primarily meant for tourists.
Phillips said there were 143 licensed PHAs in Jasper.
The proposed amendments were for PHA requirements contained in the Jasper Land Use Policy and were meant to address issues identified during March 2019 consultations, including life safety code issues, preservation of residential areas, parking and compliance issues.
The removal of a PHA kitchens would have been required unless the operator applied to turn their PHA into a long-term secondary suite.
According to Parks Canada, PHA kitchens would not have been inspected for fire safety codes and could present a life safety issue for the entire household.
But Phillips said the definition of kitchen would have included any PHAs with kitchen appliances ranging from toasters to coffee makers.
Another amendment would clarify that a PHA would be limited to 10 per cent of a dwelling’s gross floor area.
This is meant to preserve space that could be used for long-term residential use.
If the amendment had gone forward, Phillips said she would not have been able to continue operating her PHA as it had been above the threshold.
There could also be no independent access to PHAs, and operators must have unimpeded access from the dwelling to the PHA area from within the primary dwelling.
“That raises a whole lot of security concerns,” Phillips said.
“When my kids were coming home from school when they were in junior high, would I want them coming home and being in the house accessible to guests? Would guests want to be in homes where there’s screaming toddlers and whatever?”
Parks Canada explained that it decided to withdraw the amendment package following feedback, particularly when it came to the timing for receiving feedback, which was to be accepted up until June 13.
“Parks Canada remains committed to addressing the issues raised in the March 2019 consultations and has recognised that the time frame for feedback is problematic,” said Dave Kreizenbeck, senior realty and development advisor with Parks Canada, in a May 20 email.
“Parks Canada looks forward to working collaboratively with stakeholders and the public on this important initiative.”
Although Phillips was relieved that the amendments had been withdrawn, she said they would likely come back in a revised form this fall.
Phillips noted how many residents based their financial decisions on being able to operate a PHA, such as whether or not to take on a mortgage.
“For older folks, like my husband and I, it’s a supplement to our retirement income. People make decisions whether to take jobs or not take jobs based on their PHA.”
She added that owners wanted to work with Parks Canada to address concerns with PHAs but noted that many residents had been operating PHAs for decades.
“To just have that rug pulled out from under your feet isn’t fair, so I would hope that there would be some consultation and negotiation.”
