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Housing

Seventy-two illegal short-term rentals.

The city bought software that scans the listing sites. It found as many as 72 operating without a licence. The fine is $750 a day.

Asked August 28575 votesVoting closed

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What Fernie says so far

  • Yes. Licence them, enforce it, fine the ones who ignore it.40%
  • Go further. Cap how many licences exist at all.33%
  • The fines are too steep for a small operator.11%
  • Leave it alone. This is people paying their mortgage.16%

Results update after you vote.

Why we’re asking

The city hired Granicus, a company that scans listing sites and cross-references them against local bylaws and business licences. It turned up as many as 72 short-term rentals operating in Fernie without one.

Once bylaw staff finish training, operators get a warning notice and two weeks to comply. After that it is $750 for every day they remain out of compliance.

Fees were restructured for 2026: $700 a year for a condo or hotel short-term rental, $500 for a primary-residence rental, renewable by January 31. The city’s stated reason is that the programme takes considerably more staff time and enforcement than an ordinary business licence, and the fee now reflects that.

Sources: City of Fernie, short-term rentals · The Free Press · Business Licensing Bylaw 2028

Curated responses

  • JennaThe Annex

    Two houses on my block have not had a neighbour in them for three years. Cap it.

  • RobMontane

    I licensed mine, I pay the $700, and I would like the ones who did not to pay something too.

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