Buying an Airbnb in North Hatley in 2026: municipal short-term rental rules, permits and purchase prices
Airbnb · North Hatley · 2026 rules
Can you rent out your principal residence on Airbnb in North Hatley, and where is a unit bought for short-term rental allowed? The city's rules, checked against its by-laws on October 19, 2026, the Quebec framework and the purchase price of a house or condo according to Centris.
Renting out your own principal residence short-term is allowed in North Hatley only in some zones; buying a unit to rent it on Airbnb year-round (tourist residence) is possible only in specific zones. Rules checked on October 19, 2026.
The short answer
Renting out your own principal residence short-term is allowed in North Hatley only in some zones; buying a unit to rent it on Airbnb year-round (tourist residence) is possible only in specific zones.
Renting out your principal residence in North Hatley: allowed in some zones only
The “principal residence establishment” use is prohibited in 71 zones, i.e. the entire territory except zones C-4, C-6, C-7, C-8, Ra-17 and RUR-4 (71 by-laws adopted May 1, 2023 after a register was held). By-law 2023-661 adds the use as specifically authorized in these six zones.
Buying to rent year-round in North Hatley: only in some zones
A unit that is not your principal residence, rented by the night or the week all year, is a "tourist residence". The law does not protect it: the city decides through its zoning where it is allowed.
The tourist residence is allowed only in zones C-4 and C-6 (one per zone), C-7 (three), C-8, Ra-17 (one) and RUR-4 (one); it is specifically prohibited in zones C-1 to C-3 and C-5. It is permitted only in a detached single-family dwelling, with a maximum of 2 people per bedroom, 1 to 2 parking spaces per bedroom, a fence or hedge of 1.8 to 2 m if next to a residential neighbour, no outdoor speakers.
The by-law in North Hatley
By-law: By-law 2022-653 amending zoning by-law 2001-432 (tourist residence, adopted at the meeting of January 9, 2023); By-law 2023-661 (principal residence establishment) and By-laws 2023-662 to 2023-732 (prohibition of the principal residence establishment by zone), adopted May 1, 2023, certificate of conformity from the RCM of Memphrémagog on June 7, 2023, notice of coming into force of June 12, 2023
Municipal permit or certificate: CITQ classification attestation posted in public view; municipal approval required for CITQ registration (By-law 2023-735 on permits and certificates in force in May 2023, content not verified). Fees not found.
Recent change: By-laws 2023-744 (zone C-4) and 2024-754 (zones C-4 and C-5, ground-floor uses) came later; a local blog reports that an Airbnb is no longer permitted on the ground floor, to be confirmed in the official text.
What buying costs in North Hatley
Houses and condos in North Hatley: median sale price by year. Source: Centris (Matrix).
House: too few sales in 2026 (8) for a reliable median price.
Condo: too few sales in 2026 (0) for a reliable median price.
Year
House, median price
Sales
Condo, median price
Sales
2016
$325,000
12
n/a
0
2017
$393,000
13
n/a
0
2018
$311,000
12
n/a
0
2019
$305,000
12
n/a
0
2020
$456,250
24
n/a
0
2021
$470,000
18
n/a
0
2022
$700,000
12
n/a
0
2023
$584,500
11
n/a
0
2024
$812,500
22
n/a
0
2025
n/a
5
n/a
0
2026 (since January)
n/a
8
n/a
0
The cities tracked: 2026 median house price and rule on renting out a principal residence, North Hatley highlighted. Sources: municipal by-laws, Centris (Matrix).
Quebec's rules, the same everywhere
Registration is mandatory. Renting a unit to tourists for 31 days or less requires registration with the Ministère du Tourisme and a certificate renewed every year: $54 for a principal residence establishment, $156 for a general tourist accommodation establishment (tourist residence). Since April 9, 2026, the number must appear in every listing, social media included.
The city decides where. The registration application must include a document from the municipality confirming that the use complies with its zoning (Tourist Accommodation Act, s. 5). A notice of non-compliance prevents the application from being filed.
The principal residence is protected, but not without limits. Since March 25, 2023, a municipal by-law can prohibit renting out a principal residence only through a zoning amendment adopted under an adapted referendum procedure (s. 23). Several cities have done it, zone by zone.
Principal residence means where you actually live. It is the address you give to most government departments and bodies. Since September 1, 2026, two proofs of principal residence are required at registration and at renewal.
In a condo, the syndicate signs every year. You need the declaration of co-ownership allowing the operation or the syndicate's authorization, and since September 1, 2026 that consent is required at every renewal, not only the first time.
Registration does not transfer. A seller's Airbnb income was earned under their file. The buyer starts over, under the rules in force on the day of the application.
The zone of the address, not the city. In North Hatley as elsewhere, the rule changes from one zone to the next. Ask the planning department for the exact zone and the use grid, or for the zoning compliance notice, before the offer.
The declaration of co-ownership. For a condo, read the clause on rentals and the building's destination: a syndicate can refuse, and must now consent at every renewal.
The seller's certificate. If the seller already operates, ask for the registration certificate (class, expiry date, number of units), not just the number. It will not be transferred to you.
The return without Airbnb. Price the property as if short-term rental became impossible tomorrow: it is the only assumption that does not depend on a by-law or a syndicate vote. Our five checks before buying to rent short-term set out the order.
The tax bill, increase and rate published by the city for 2026, the assessment roll year and the school tax, with sources.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do Airbnb in North Hatley?
Only in some zones for your principal residence. For a unit bought to be rented year-round (tourist residence), only in specific zones.
Do you need a permit to rent on Airbnb in North Hatley?
CITQ classification attestation posted in public view; municipal approval required for CITQ registration (By-law 2023-735 on permits and certificates in force in May 2023, content not verified). Fees not found. In every case, provincial registration ($54 or $156 a year) and the municipal zoning compliance document are mandatory.
Can you buy a condo to rent on Airbnb in North Hatley?
Yes, if the zone allows it and if the declaration of co-ownership or the syndicate authorizes it. For a condo that is not your principal residence, the municipal tourist-residence rule also applies: only in specific zones.
What does a property cost in North Hatley in 2026?
House: too few sales in 2026 (8) for a reliable median price. Condo: too few sales in 2026 (0) for a reliable median price.
Prices: Centris (Matrix), Statistics module, query of October 19, 2026 for all of North Hatley, Single-family and Condominium categories, median sale price and number of sales per year; 2026 since January; years with fewer than 10 sales left blank; compiled by the Loaa & Manseur team, aggregates only. This page informs: it is neither legal nor tax advice, and a by-law can change after the date it was checked.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.