Some homeowners in Île-Bizard say they were blindsided by hefty fines from Revenu Québec after trying to rent their homes during last year’s Presidents Cup golf tournament.
Aisha Lansari and her husband were among them. The couple paid $250 U.S. to list their home on a website catering to golf fans, hoping to leave town during the event—but they never found a renter.
Two weeks ago, Lansari received two thick envelopes from Revenu Québec. Inside was a notice informing her that she and her husband were being fined $3,750 each for violating the province’s short-term rental laws.
“$7,500 per household is a lot of money,” Lansari said. “It’s more than my annual taxes. It’s more than McGill’s tuition for a year.”
According to Revenu Québec , the homeowners were fined because they didn’t have a tourism registration number, or CITQ. In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson with government agency said that fines for violating the Tourist Accommodation Act range from $500 to $50,000 and that even listing a property without a registration number is considered an offence.
Lansari said she had no idea that just listing her home, without ever actually renting it, could lead to a hefty fine. Had she received a booking, she said she would have ensured everything was done by the book.
“If we had actually rented, I would have checked with the city, looked up the regulations,” she said.
The stack of papers in the case file against her include screenshots and details of her home listing, multiple photos of her home, and even a screenshot of a text message her husband received from someone inquiring about availability—messages she believes came from an investigator with Revenu Québec.
“They went through a lot of effort, put a lot of resources and probably money into this,” she said. “Meanwhile, they could’ve just spent two dollars on mailing a letter to advise us not to do this.”
Multiple homeowners fined by Revenu Québec
Patricia McIntyre, who lives across from the golf course of the Royal Montreal club, also received a fine. It was delivered to her in person by a bailiff on New Year’s Eve.
“It was extremely humiliating and intrusive,” McIntyre said. “To me, this is very predatory, and I believe the government is acting in bad faith.”
Like Lansari, McIntyre listed her home but never rented it. She says she only considered it after a short-term rental website, Rent Like A Champion, was recommended by the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) as an option for those attending the Presidents Cup.
Had she gone through with a rental, she says she would have checked the rules. “We’re not slumlords here—we’re families,” she said. “It just doesn’t feel right.”
Both the women argue that Île-Bizard—unlike downtown Montreal—doesn’t have a large short-term rental market, and the government’s focus on their neighborhood felt excessive.
“The city could have done its due diligence,” Lansari said. “They know Île-Bizard doesn’t get tourists, and they failed to tell us anything about this.”
Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève borough mayor Doug Hurley sent an email to CTV News stating that: “residents intending to rent either part or all of their primary residence for short-term purposes are required to first obtain an operating permit from the borough.” Adding that he would refrain from further commenting for now, calling it a provincial matter.
Both McIntyre and Lansari say they plan to fight their fines in court—and are looking to connect with other homeowners in the same situation.
