Tourist accommodation: annual authorization required starting September 1, 2026
Starting September 1, 2026, new rules will apply to tenants who operate a rental unit for tourist accommodation purposes. An amendment to the Regulation respecting tourist accommodation will now require these operators to obtain written authorization from their landlord not only when the establishment is initially registered, but also upon each annual renewal.
This change could therefore have direct implications for some landlords, who may be asked each year to authorize a tenant to operate their rental unit for tourist accommodation purposes.
Authorization will need to be renewed annually
Until now, when a tenant wished to operate their rental unit for tourist accommodation purposes, the lease could notably be used to demonstrate that such use was permitted. Starting September 1, 2026, the regulation will instead require a written declaration from the property owner expressly authorizing the operation of the establishment for tourist accommodation purposes. This authorization will also have to be provided upon the annual renewal of the establishment’s registration.
The required documents must have been issued within the 12 months preceding the renewal date. Quebec’s Ministry of Tourism has introduced a standardized landlord authorization form for this purpose. The document makes it possible to identify the tenant, the establishment concerned and, in the case of a renewal, the registration number.
What property owners need to know
For landlords concerned by these changes, several points are particularly important:
- consent will need to be renewed annually when the establishment’s registration is renewed;
- once granted, consent cannot be withdrawn during the annual period in which the registration is valid;
- the landlord may, however, refuse to grant consent again at the next renewal;
- the new requirement applies to operators who are tenants;
- a similar requirement will also apply to the consent of condominium syndicates in divided co-ownership properties.
Landlords are therefore encouraged to review the form and carefully consider their decision before granting authorization.
Coming into effect September 1, 2026
The regulatory amendment was adopted by the Quebec government in March 2026. The provisions concerning landlord authorization and its annual renewal will officially come into effect on September 1, 2026.
The Corporation de l’industrie touristique du Québec (CITQ) also notes that renewal applications are submitted within the 60 days preceding the expiry date of a registration. Operators whose registrations expire in the fall are therefore encouraged to pay particular attention to the new requirements.
CORPIQ encourages landlords who may be affected to review the official form before giving their consent to a tenant wishing to operate their rental unit for tourist accommodation purposes.
