Jana Zachariou usually starts her day by checking for notifications from her Brentwood Bay short-term rental (STR) 香蕉视频直播� a '60s retro-modern themed guest suite with a bedroom, two beds, bathroom, kitchen and living room.

Running the rental, which costs $120 per night on Airbnb, has been an adventure that has taken up a lot of her time. Managing the demands of her STR together with her husband Rob Irving, means she temporarily has put her full-time professional photography and creative work on hold.

Zachariou claims she didn't know what to expect when she started the rental in their home in June 2024, but she's happy she did. She envisions herself running the business for a very long time.

"Between the two of us, we have six sons, so for us to stay in this house til the day comes and, you know, whatever happens, this would be a source of income to supplement our pension 香蕉视频直播� this was our plan," she said.

While she has figured out most aspects of the business, the legal side remains uncertain. She's unsure whether she can continue operating her STR in Central Saanich under evolving provincial regulations.

There are about a dozen STR hosts around her neighbourhood near Brentview Road; at least 60 in Central Saanich.

According to Irving, many of them have been operating for years and most are unsure of their business status given the province's stance on short-term rentals.

On Jan. 20, the Housing Ministry launched a registry for short-term rentals to crack down on 香蕉视频直播渟peculators香蕉视频直播� operating illegally in the province to help families in B.C. find long-term housing options. Hosts on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo are required to register with the province by May 1, 2025.

Few STR hosts choose to rent out their suites long-term for various reasons, including keeping the rental unit available for family members and dealing with troublesome tenants.

During a council meeting on March 10, the couple voiced their concerns and asked if the district might issue STR hosts a business licence so they could continue running their rentals with peace of mind.

"I could see the deadline coming up, so I knew that I had to get in there and let the council know there was a problem coming," Irving said. "This year, if you do not have a licence you're not legal in the municipality. B.C. government said you have to be legal by municipal standards as well."

"So as of May 1, your site disappears on platforms like Airbnb and as of June 1, and this is where the real problem comes in 香蕉视频直播� all bookings are cancelled," he explained.

Irving has expressed his concern in front of council twice before, but this was the first time he came with a delegation of STR hosts, who each shared personal stories to help council members understand why they want to keep their short-term rental.

The majority of the group are single mothers and retirees looking to supplement their income. One said she'd have to sell her house if she couldn't get that income from her STR to pay her mortgage. 

In their 10-minute speech during the council meeting, Irving also presented a calculation of the district's potential profit from short-term rentals in Central Saanich: at least $2,384,000, based on 60 active STRs and a low estimate of $110 per day during the four busiest months of the year and income from the remaining eight months. This amount is what the district stands to gain from local and international tourists. 

"The mayor was saying how can we do this?", said Irving. "And I'm thinking, OK, I didn't even think it was possible, but it sounds like he's gonna try to find a way to have a public hearing and get it all set up in time. I think they understood the human and money sides of it, too, for the local economy."

Mayor Ryan Windsor explained short-term rentals are not supported under the district's official community plan (OCP) and zoning bylaw.

"Additionally, our zoning bylaw mandates that residential occupancy must be for no less than 30 days, effectively restricting short-term rentals. Rentals exceeding 30 days are considered normal residential use under the zoning bylaw," he said.

Windsor explained that to authorize short-term rentals, both OCP and the zoning bylaw would need to be amended to support STRs, remove the 30-day restriction and establish criteria for regulating short-term rentals.

"At this point, STR operators will be expected to follow the provincial and municipal regulations until the municipality makes changes by direction of council," the mayor added.

Irving and Zachariou understand an amendment to the OCP and zoning bylaw would require a public hearing, which would take time for council to organize. Despite the looming May 1 provincial registry deadline, they are still hopeful.

"They can move very quickly to get a public hearing and then you vote; I think you can get the first, second and third reading all in one council meeting. I've seen it done in Victoria and then two weeks later you can vote again and that's the final bang 香蕉视频直播�  it's done," Irving said.

In an email to Peninsula News Review, the district said council is expected to review the matter in 2026; anyone can apply for a temporary use permit and council can consider the application.

"We expect more follow-up on this soon at council," the district said. 

On the Peninsula, for short-term rentals requiring a business licence and conforming to B.C. legislation.