🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - View Royal, Canada
Municipal ban stays on the books for View Royal, but enforcement takes a two-month vacation for World Cup.
View Royal Hits Pause on Short-Term Rental Ban for FIFA World Cup
Here's something you don't see every day: a municipality temporarily looking the other way on banned rentals. View Royal Town Council has approved an enforcement "amnesty" for short-term rentals during the FIFA 2026 World Cup, marking a pragmatic approach to handling the expected tourism surge.
Town staff, led by Director of Development Services Leanne Taylor, presented a detailed analysis that culminated in a clear recommendation: don't permit vacation rentals during the World Cup period. Their January 5 report systematically dismantled both available options for legalizing the rentals.
Town of View Royal Council Report about consideration of vacation rentals.
Last January 20, 2026, council chose the middle path. Rather than amending the bylaw or creating temporary permits (both of which staff warned would involve administrative headaches, public consultations, and business licensing approvals) they simply voted to suspend enforcement for two months.
Here's how it breaks down: From June 1 through July 31, 2026, short-term rental operators can list their properties without fear of bylaw enforcement. Technically, the rentals remain prohibited under municipal law, but no one will be knocking on doors or issuing fines during this window.
The amnesty period isn't an invitation to ignore the rules forever, though. Come August 1, enforcement snaps back into place. Anyone continuing to operate short-term rentals after that date will face the same penalties that existed before: no grace period, no warnings.
Town of View Royal Council Meeting
January 20, 2026
Council's approach reflects a broader tension many communities face: balancing housing concerns with economic opportunities from tourism. View Royal clearly isn't ready to lift its ban permanently, but it's willing to make an exception for what staff and council see as a unique circumstance.
🐦 Tweet Highlights: Catch the latest discussions on X
View Royal offers "amnesty" for short-term rentals during World Cup https://t.co/U5kv2vZ3SQ
— Times Colonist (@timescolonist) January 28, 2026
The Town of View Royal will be temporarily allowing short-term rentals, like Airbnbs, to operate in the community during the FIFA World Cup this summer.https://t.co/4dqqS6hi4c
— CHEK News (@CHEK_News) January 27, 2026
As FIFA World Cup gets closer, advocates plead for help to secure Vancouver accommodations for out-of-town patients https://t.co/qZBMN9JuJH
— CTV News Vancouver (@CTVVancouver) January 27, 2026
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