As the summer travel season approaches, Parc-Extension residents who are thinking of renting their home on short-term rental platforms must follow both Montréal’s municipal rules and Quebec’s tourist accommodation law.
In Montréal, short-term tourist rentals of a principal residence are allowed only from June 10 to September 10 each year, and only for stays of 31 days or less. Hosts must obtain a municipal permit and renew it annually. Outside that period, renting a principal residence to tourists for short stays is prohibited in most boroughs, including Villeray, Saint-Michel, Parc-Extension.
The city defines this type of rental as the short-term rental of the house, condo or apartment where the host actually lives. Renting a room in a principal residence is subject to the same rules as renting the entire residence. Home exchanges, such as those arranged through exchange platforms, remain permitted and do not require a municipal permit.
Quebec rules also apply. Under the province’s tourist accommodation framework, any paid rental offered for 31 consecutive days or less must be registered, whether it involves a principal residence, secondary residence, room or other accommodation. The Corporation de l’industrie touristique du Québec, known as the CITQ, is responsible for registration.
The rules are stricter for owners who want to rent a unit that is not their principal residence. In Montréal, year-round short-term rental of a non-principal residence requires a certificate of occupancy and is permitted only in certain sectors. Residents must verify borough zoning and local conditions before offering such a unit for tourist rental.
The city says the tighter framework is part of its response to the housing crisis. Montréal has stated that limiting short-term rentals is intended to increase the supply of long-term rental housing and help prevent fraud.
The issue has become increasingly sensitive across the city. Housing groups have argued that short-term rentals can remove apartments from the regular rental market, while platforms and some hosts say the restrictions reduce income opportunities and affect tourism. In March 2026, Airbnb publicly urged Montréal to reconsider the seasonal limits, but the current rules remain in place.
For Parc-Extension, where many residents are tenants and housing affordability remains a major concern, the rules are particularly important. Residents who see a suspected illegal tourist rental can report it to the City of Montréal through its short-term tourist accommodation complaint process.
The practical message is simple: before listing a home, room or apartment for tourists, residents should confirm whether the rental is allowed, whether the property is in an authorized sector, and whether the required municipal and provincial registrations have been obtained.
