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The Complete Guide to
Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals
at Big White Ski Resort
The BC STR Act exemption, provincial registration, strata rental bylaws, ski-season taxes, and what property owners are actually earning.
Big White sits within a designated mountain resort boundary, which makes it exempt from BC's principal residence rule and from Kelowna's municipal STR bylaw. It's one of the most investment-friendly short-term rental markets in the province. See what that actually means below.
If you own a condo or chalet at Big White and you're wondering whether you can legally rent it out on Airbnb or VRBO, the short answer is: almost certainly yes, and with far less red tape than most BC markets. Since the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act came into effect across the province in 2024, owners in cities like Kelowna have had to navigate business licences, principal-residence rules, and zoning restrictions. Big White is different.
But "less red tape provincially" doesn't mean "no rules at all." There's still a provincial registration requirement, real tax obligations, and — the part most owners overlook — your own strata corporation's bylaws, which can add restrictions the province doesn't.
This guide covers what actually applies to a Big White property: the resort exemption, provincial registration, strata rules, taxes, and what owners are realistically earning across a four-month ski season.
Regulations and strata rules can change. Always verify current requirements directly with the Province of BC and your specific strata council before listing.
What you need to know at a glance
Get set up in 5 steps
No city licence to wait on here — the process is shorter than most BC markets.
Check your strata bylaws first
Before anything else, confirm your building allows short-term rentals and check for minimum-stay or registration rules. This is the step most owners skip.
Register with BC's provincial registry
Create an account at host.shorttermrental.registry.gov.bc.ca. Submit property details and pay the applicable annual fee.
Add your registration number to your listing
Your provincial registration number must appear on your Airbnb or VRBO listing. Platforms actively check and can remove non-compliant listings.
Set up pricing and cleaning for the season
Build a pricing calendar around Christmas/New Year's, the February long weekend, and spring break, and line up a reliable cleaner for fast ski-trip turnovers.
Renew registration annually
Provincial registration needs annual renewal. An expired registration carries the same risk of listing removal as no registration at all.
Is Big White Really Exempt from BC's Short-Term Rental Act?
Yes. When BC's Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act introduced its province-wide principal residence requirement, it built in exemptions for designated mountain resort communities. Big White Ski Resort is one of them.
In cities like Kelowna, you generally need to live in a property for at least 240 days a year to short-term rent it (with limited exceptions). At Big White, that requirement simply doesn't apply. You can own a ski chalet or condo purely as an investment property and rent it out year-round, with no residency test.
- No principal residence requirement
- No City of Kelowna business licence
- No 240-day residency test
- Provincial BC STR Registry number
- Your strata's own approval and bylaws met
- GST/PST/MRDT collection and remittance
Big White falls under the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary rather than a municipal bylaw, which is part of why the rules are simpler here than in Kelowna. That simplicity is exactly why the next section matters so much — because it's easy to assume "no city rules" means "no rules," and that's not quite true.
Your Strata Can Still
Say No — or Set Its Own Rules
Almost every property at Big White is strata-titled — condos, townhomes, and chalets governed by a strata corporation with its own bylaws. The province exempting Big White from the principal residence rule doesn't touch this at all. Your strata bylaws sit on top of, not instead of, provincial law.
Some buildings actively welcome short-term rental and are set up for it, with rental pools and turnover-friendly layouts. Others impose their own minimum stay lengths, require notifying the strata council, cap the number of units that can be rented short-term at once, or have specific insurance requirements for STR use.
None of this is standardized across the resort — it varies building by building. Before you list, get your strata's current bylaws and any rental disclosure statement directly from your strata council or property manager, and confirm short-term rental is explicitly permitted.
- Minimum stay length
- Rental registration with the strata
- Insurance and liability requirements
Part of how we set up new Big White clients is confirming your specific building's rules before your listing goes live.
What it costs: full breakdown
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| City business licence | Not required |
| Provincial registration (lower tier) | $100 |
| Provincial registration (higher tier) | $450 |
| GST | 5% |
| PST + MRDT (combined) | ~10–11% |
| Total tax load on gross booking revenue | ~15–16% |
Figures are estimates current as of August 2026. Confirm current registration fees at gov.bc.ca/ShortTermRental and current tax obligations with a tax professional.
What can you actually earn?
Nightly rates before location, feature, and demand adjustments, by bedroom count.
| Unit type | Base nightly range |
|---|---|
| Studio | $120–205 |
| 1 bedroom | $175–320 |
| 2 bedroom | $255–440 |
| 3 bedroom | $340–620 |
| 4 bedroom | $440–760 |
| 5 bedroom | $540–950 |
| 6+ bedroom | $650–1,200 |
Base rates before area, bathroom count, and feature premiums (hot tub, ski-in/ski-out, mountain view, etc.). These add up meaningfully during peak weeks.
Three weeks drive most of the annual number: Christmas and New Year's, the mid-February long weekend, and BC's spring break in March. Many owners earn the bulk of their yearly rental income inside those windows, with quieter shoulder weeks in between.
Our free calculator factors in bedrooms, bathrooms, area, and features to estimate your ski season revenue.
Self-manage, or hire it out?
You handle everything
- Guest messages at all hours, ski trips especially
- Finding and scheduling a reliable cleaner remotely
- Adjusting pricing for three short demand peaks
- Keeps 100% of net revenue
We handle it, you approve the plan
- 24/7 guest communication handled for you
- Cleaning coordinated between every turnover
- Dynamic pricing tuned to peak weeks
- 20% flat co-hosting fee, no hidden charges
Self-managing can work well if you live close by. Many owners who live elsewhere, or who simply don't want the daily workload during a short and intense season, choose to hand it off instead.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit or business licence to Airbnb my Big White condo?
No city business licence is required. Big White sits within a designated mountain resort boundary and is exempt from BC's principal residence requirement and from Kelowna's municipal STR bylaw. You do still need to register with the BC STR Registry provincially.
Can my strata restrict short-term rentals even though the province allows it?
Yes. Provincial exemption only removes the principal-residence requirement, it doesn't override your building's own strata bylaws. Many Big White strata corporations set their own rules on minimum stay length, rental registration, or insurance. Always check your specific strata's bylaws before listing.
How much does provincial STR registration cost for a Big White property?
Roughly $100 to $450 per year depending on how the property is used, plus taxes. It must be renewed annually and the registration number must appear on your listing.
How much can I earn renting my Big White property on Airbnb?
It depends heavily on bedroom count, location on the mountain, and features like a private hot tub or true ski-in/ski-out access. Use our free revenue calculator for a personalized estimate.
What taxes apply to Big White short-term rental income?
Roughly 15 to 16% combined in GST, PST, and municipal/regional hotel tax (MRDT) on top of gross booking revenue, before platform or management fees. Confirm current rates with a tax professional.
Is it better to self-manage or hire a property manager?
Self-managing works if you live nearby and enjoy handling guest messages, cleaner scheduling, and pricing during a compressed 4-month season. Many owners who live elsewhere, or want to maximize peak-week revenue without the daily workload, hire a co-host instead.
The Bottom Line
Big White is a genuinely favourable market for short-term rental owners: no city licence, no principal-residence test, and a compressed but high-demand ski season. The catch isn't the province, it's your own building's strata bylaws, and it's worth confirming those before you list rather than after.
The owners who do best are the ones who get their registration and strata questions sorted early, then run a tight ship through three intense demand peaks. If you'd rather not do that alone, we'd love to talk.
Your Big White property is ready.
Let us handle the rest.
Checking strata rules, setting up your listing, managing guests, coordinating cleaners. It's a lot for a short season. We do all of it so you can just collect your monthly statement.