Hi all
Looking for advice here as we approach the deadline here in BC to have a business license for our places. I am probably one of very few that run a place on first nations reserve land so I'm in a bit of a no mans land here.
Airbnb wants me to get a business license from Port Hardy because that's where my street address is. However, being on a first nations reserve means Port Hardy cannot give me a business license as I'm actually outside their jurisdiction. In, fact I'm outside any government jurisdiction.
My band has no policy around short term rentals, and no such thing as a business license exists here to begin with. I could technically ask the band administration for some kind of paperwork but honestly that's probably just opening a can of worms. Right now as it stands nobody here in the village really cares about my place but also most people probably don't know about it either as I'm in a remote place. So nobody here in authority is asking for Airbnb to get me registered so why would I go and look to rock the boat when I don't have to? If I go asking it's just looking for trouble and most likely go either:
A. It goes into band administration limbo and doesn't get dealt with for a very long time if at all.
B. It has to go to a community council for approval. Which I'm also leary of because I'm the only one here that does a str with my place. So very likely that the powers that be here just say no to giving me any approval.
So what I'm asking Airbnb for is an exemption to this Business License requirement as it doesn't exist here to begin with. I've been talking to Airbnb about it for a bit now but the people I've been talking to aren't from Canada and don't understand what it means for me to be on First Nations Reserve land and the problems that carries in this situation.
I fully realize this is sort of complex and that I'm probably one of only a handful of people in this situation so it's not easy...... I don't know what to do as I've got a fully booked summer already and I'm really hoping that Airbnb doesn't pull my listing.
Thoughts?
Jason
