6 months on, more than 200 Airbnb listings appear to violate Winnipeg's new short-term rental bylaw

Click here to read a version of this story in French.

Changes to Winnipeg's bylaw on short-term rental accommodations have been in effect for six months, but some St. Boniface residents say the rules are being broken at buildings in their neighbourhood.

Lucie-Madeleine Delisle has lived in her north St. Boniface apartment for over 10 years. She says the quality of life for her and her neighbours has deteriorated since an apartment block, owned by a numbered company, was built next door in 2020.

Delisle considers herself fortunate to live at the end of her building that's furthest from the one next door, at 153 Aubert St. 

"Several of my neighbours, who are much closer, have told me on several occasions that there are parties, noise, comings and goings, and shady people coming around," she told Radio-Canada in French — signs that suggest a lot of short-term rentals in the building, she said.

"I'm worried about the situation, and I don't know what measures should be taken, but the consensus in my building is definitely that things have to change."

Anthony Robertson, who lives a few doors down from 153 Aubert, is also concerned about the building. 

"I see the change over every weekend. They rent out to whoever," he said in September.

"I come home on the Friday and I see all the cars lining up in front on the street.... So we sit there and go, 'Oh, what's this weekend gonna bring?' So it's frustrating, right? Because they're only here for the weekend, and this is our home," said Robertson.

"I'm fed up and tired of the crap that goes on here."

He says he's seen cars parked on the grass of a vacant lot in front of his home, and some weekends the area is littered with trash. 

Last month, one person was taken to hospital after a shooting in the area.

"Someone's got to just say, 'That's enough,'" said Robertson.

Radio-Canada found three of 153 Aubert's roughly 20 units advertised on the short-term rental platform Airbnb. That number of listings complies with the city's bylaw on short-term rentals, which came into force on April 1.