Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley is renting out her lake house in British Columbia through Airbnb whilst federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has called out the short-term rental site for exacerbating the country’s housing crisis.
The Alberta opposition leader’s “Beachfront Balfour Kootenay Retreat” is listed on Airbnb’s website for $210 per night in beautiful British Columbia.
“Entire house & property beside stunning Kootenay Lake. Ninety second walk to sandy public beach. Two decks with striking views of the lake and mountains,” the listing states.
The listing is hosted by “Lou” and co-hosted by “Rachel.” Notley’s husband is Lou Arab.
Reviews from vacationers who rented Notley’s 3-bedroom “fully winterized” second home were strong, scoring an average of 4.79 out of 5 stars. A few individuals expressed appreciation for their stay, but added that it could use some tender loving care (TLC).
One user said “We enjoyed Rachel’s place. The location was great, halfway from Nelson and Kaslo and only a few minutes to the ferry. Just a short walk down the hill to a lovely sandy beach. Lots of walking trails around to enjoy. Great views of the lake from the deck as well. As someone else stated could use a bit of TLC.”
Airbnb implicated in housing crisis
Short-term rental sites like Airbnb are a contributing factor to the low supply of rental units, in turn driving up the cost of rent and making it difficult for Canadians to find affordable housing.
“A study by the School of Urban Planning at McGill University conducted in 2019 estimated that short-term rentals have taken away 31,000 units of from long-term markets in cities across Canada,” stated the Canadian Mortgage Professional last year.
Even federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said last month that Airbnb was “part of the problem.”
Rachel Notley did not immediately respond to request for comment.
