John Lohr, Municipal Affairs and Housing minister. (Communications N.S. Photo)

HALIFAX: Current registration for tourist accommodations, short-term rentals and accommodation platforms, such as Airbnb and Expedia, will be extended to September to give visitors and hosts more time to adapt to new regulations coming this fall.

“Changes coming for short-term rentals like Airbnbs will see higher fees and enforcement that will help make more long-term housing available to Nova Scotians,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

“These are comprehensive changes that require careful planning and coordination.

“We want to ensure people can plan for the season ahead while this important work progresses.”

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Registration for the 2024-25 season will open by this fall. Until then, registered tourist accommodations can continue to operate with their current registration numbers and fees.   

New tourist accommodations can still register for the extended 2023-24 season at: https://beta.novascotia.ca/register-your-tourist-accommodation

Information and updates will also be available on the Tourist Accommodations Registry website.

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Quick Facts:
– most tourist accommodations need to register to operate in Nova Scotia, including those in a primary residence
– the Tourist Accommodations Registration Act came into effect in April 2020 and requires accommodations marketing platforms and operators that rent for 28 days or less to register with the Province every year
– in April 2023, accommodations within a host’s primary residence were added to the act, and platforms such as Airbnb and Expedia were required to list only accommodations with a valid registration number
– as of March 2024, there were more than 6,400 registered short-term accommodations in Nova Scotia

Additional Resources:
Amendments to the Tourist Accommodations Registration Act (as passed, not yet proclaimed): https://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/64th_1st/3rd_read/b320.htm