Opinion: Pincher Creek rental concerns

By Chantal Laliberte
Shootin’ the Breeze Pincher Creek resident
November 2, 2022
Pincher Creek housing being treated as commodity, instead of a place to live

Are you aware that there are already 20-plus unregulated tourist homes (short-term rentals or STRs) operating in the town of Pincher Creek?

Are you aware that if proposed land-use bylaw No. 1547-AO is approved by council, we could end up losing up to 83 homes and rental units for residents (five per cent of the community’s 1,665 single-detached homes could be approved as Type 2 STRs)?

These would become tourist accommodation, unavailable to residents for long-term rental unless they are willing to pay an exorbitant amount of money each month! Can our community afford this loss of homes and rental units when so many people are looking for a place to live?

It is one thing to allow residents to rent one or more rooms to lodgers (proposed Type 1 STR). It is quite another thing to allow commercial landlords to buy up residential houses and convert them into Type 2 STRs — depleting our limited rental housing supply and creating a devastating impact on available housing in our community.

Regulated STRs are thought to bring economic benefits to a community — but who benefits at the expense of whom? The town may benefit with added commercial tax revenues and licensing. Businesses that cater to tourists, such as restaurants, bars and food stores, may benefit.

But it’s the STR owners, including many who do not even live in our community, who are the real benefactors, taking revenue out of our community! This at the expense of new residents moving to our community who need places to live.

Because most STRs are located in residential areas, our neighbourhoods become fragmented. We no longer have neighbours but a constantly rotating number of strangers. Complaints about safety, traffic, trash, noise and parties become more common. Our community has much to lose if the town doesn’t regulate STRs closely.

Our community needs to ensure that each person and family wanting to reside long term in our community can find a place to live.

The Town of Pincher Creek is hosting a public hearing on Monday, Nov. 14, in council chambers at 962 St. John Ave., at 6 p.m. We urge you to attend; this is your chance to make your voice heard.

Advertisement
Wooden storefront of Crockets Trading Company in an ad promoting the store as a source of handcrafted jewelry
Care to leave a comment?
Scroll down!
Like this story?
Click a link to share on social!
// Code example
 <div id="myid" class="myclass" hidden> 
Lorem ipsum <strong>dolor</strong> sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
</div>
Leave a Reply
Two girls, one with long blonde hair and one with pulled-back dark hair, and a young man crouch to observe objects in a metal square on the ground.

Current Issue

Print and Digital Subscriptions
Individual Digital Copies

Advertisement
Get more from your dentist at Ascent Dental
Advertisement
Woman in wedding gown standing in a field of light golden grass and holding a giant bouquet of flowers, in an ad promoting the Bayshore Inn & Spa as a wedding destination
Advertisement
Group of people in orange T-shirts standing together on a poster seeking nominations for the Direct Energy Volunteer Citizen of the Year
Advertisement
Interior of arched barn and exteriors of two barns promoting Heritage Acres as a wedding venue
Logos for Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association, News Media Canada and Government of Canada

News from southwestern Alberta and your local community connection

Office hours 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday
697A Main Street | PO Box 811, Pincher Creek, AB T0K 1W0

403-904-2227

Copyright 2011–2023 Shootin’ the Breeze.
All materials on this website are protected by Canadian copyright law and may be used only with permission.