Dogwood Express Newsletter
October 31, 2023: Issue 56
In This Issue:
 
  • BCLCA Lodging & Camping Ideas Forum November 6-8. Last Chance to Register!
  • November 1, BC's New Legislation on Pay Transparency comes into Effect
  • How to Spot Scams and Stop Fraud
  • Go RVing Canada Parking Lot Presentation October 26
  • New Rules for Short-term Rentals - BC's Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act
BCLCA LODGING AND CAMPING IDEAS FORUM NOVEMBER 6 - 8, 2023

Theme - Working Together for Our Success

Last Chance to Register!
You won’t want to miss the BCLCA's 'Lodging and Camping Ideas Forum' this November in Parksville at The Beach Club Resort. If you are an owner or manager of an RV resort, campground or lodging and have questions and concerns about areas of your business operations, or just want information on trends, this is the event you should attend.

This year is the first time since October 2019 that BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association’s members and stakeholders will gather in person. The board of directors, who are owners and managers like you, have built an education program that will encourage participants to rethink and reimagine their approaches to running their businesses. 
SPEAKERS
Quality speakers are sprinkled throughout the agenda talking on several topics affecting the day-to-day operation of your business. These people are industry experts in their field and can answer your questions.


REGISTRATION DETAILS
The cost is only $199 + GST per delegate thanks to the generosity of our sponsors - WorkSafe BC, Signature Risk, Rona, Western Financial Group, First Data and Pathfinder Ventures – and includes meals, all sessions, and keynote speakers.

Register now by completing the fillable registration form.

ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation can be purchased at The Beach Club Resort and is not included in the registration fee. Contact The Beach Club Resort directly at 250-248-8999. Rooms are from $129/night plus taxes. Quote "BCLCA Ideas Forum Group Rate".

Member Surfside RV Resort, Parksville is offering a rate of $25.00/night for 2-7 nights for those wishing to stay in their RV for the event. Call the Surfside RV Resort office at 250-248-9713 and mention you are attending the BCLCA Ideas Forum. Note: this option is not identified online.
NOVEMBER 1, BC'S NEW LEGISLATION ON PAY TRANSPARENCY COMES INTO EFFECT

On November 1st, BC rolls out the Pay Transparency Act, which was passed on May 11th by the BC Government. This act places new requirements on employers to help address systemic discrimination in the workplace.

BC employers are required to include expected pay or pay range in all job postings.

The act is to address the need to pay people fairly. It is aimed at closing the gender pay gap too many women in BC are still making less than men. According to the government last year, women in BC earned 17% less than men. The pay gap also disproportionately impacts Indigenous women, women of colour, and immigrant women, as well as women with disabilities and non-binary people.

To learn more about the Pay Transparency Act and FAQ’s click here
HOW TO SPOT SCAMS AND STOP FRAUD

  1. Slow down and be cautious of urgent or unusual requests.
  2. Pay attention to subtle differences (like typos) in email addresses and URLs. When in doubt, retype the proper address yourself.
  3. Never share confidential information like login IDs, verification codes or passwords.
  4. Never click on suspicious or unknown links.
  5. Ignore unsolicited calls, emails, and texts.
  6. Watch out for any kind of request for payment: verify requests by contacting service providers directly using known and trusted contact information.
GO RVING CANADA PARKING LOT PRESENTATION OCTOBER 26

Guest Speaker Cyrus Irani, Director, Digital Strategy, Go RVing Canada talked about Go RVing Canada’s role in promoting the RV Lifestyle.

Cyrus Irani, in his presentation, covered an explanation of who Go RVing Canada is and what they do, the current landscape of the industry, and campground issues. He emphasized that Go RVing Canada is a lifestyle brand, not a product or agenda-driven entity, and exists to promote the RV lifestyle. He also highlighted the organization's collaboration with agencies and the development of their internal resources, which allows them to create broadcast-quality content for their stakeholders. Finally, he discussed the organization's various marketing campaigns, noting their impact and success in attracting new Canadians to the RV lifestyle.

To watch Cyrus Irani’s full presentation recording with the PowerPoint slide show please click the link below.

Passcode: 6hze20p?

The next Parking Lot takes place on November 23 at 9:00 am - Extended Stays Discussion led by BCLCA Directors Jessica Schlamp and Teresa Popplewell discussing the number of Residential Tenancy Branch arbitration filed cases and the fact that most are deemed a licence to occupy, and therefore, not falling under their jurisdiction and so are automatically dismissed. Is there anything we can collectively do to change the process with the BC Government?

NEW RULES FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS - BC'S SHORT-TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS ACT
 
On October 16, 2023, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon introduced the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act in the BC legislature as Bill 35-2023 by October 26th it had received its third reading. The act places rules on short-term rentals being offered to the public. The legislation focuses on three key areas:

  • increasing fines and strengthening tools for local governments
  • returning more short-term rentals to long-term homes, and
  • establishing provincial rules and enforcement

The number of short-term rentals (which may include, for example, rentals listed on Airbnb, VRBO, Expedia and FlipKey) have expanded rapidly over recent years, in B.C. and around the world.

Data shows that short-term rentals are diverting thousands of long-term rentals onto the short-term market in B.C., taking away homes people need.

Like many jurisdictions around the world, B.C. is responding to this growing challenge by taking action to regulate short-term rentals and return homes back to the long-term rental market.

The province will establish a short-term rental registry. This will help ensure that short-term rental hosts and platforms are following the rules and provide local governments and the province the information needed to follow up when they don't.

Hosts will be required to include a provincial registration number on their listing. They will also have to include their business license number, if a business license is required by the local government. Platforms will be required to validate registration numbers on host listings against the province’s registry data.

In order to ensure the rules are being followed, the province will establish a provincial compliance and enforcement unit. This unit will:

  • Track compliance
  • Issue orders
  • Administer penalties for violations
 
Timelines

The regulations and responsibilities under the proposed Act will come into effect at different times over the next two years through a phased approach.

  • Immediately after Royal Assent: Increased fines and tickets, business licensing authority for regional districts
  • May 1, 2024: Principal residence requirement (including definition of exempt areas or accommodations), changes to legal non-conforming use protections
  • Summer 2024: Data sharing
  • Late 2024: Provincial registry launch, requiring platforms to remove listings without valid provincial registry numbers.
 
Exempt Accommodation Service Providers
 
The new rules will not apply to:

  • Hotels
  • Motels
 
Future regulations are being drafted to exempt additional types of properties which are not the intended target of the proposed act, including timeshares and fishing lodges.

For more information on B.C.'s Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/short-term-rentals. The information page also specifies items such as the list of communities where the principal residence requirements will apply; definitions; principal resident requirement etc.

You can also subscribe to get page updates sent to you via email.
BC LODGING & CAMPGROUNDS ASSOCIATION
209, 3003 St. Johns Street, Port Moody BC V3H 2C4
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