North Vistas residents call for new short-term rental rules

LEDUC COUNTY -- North Vistas residents are calling for changes to Leduc County's rules surrounding short-term rentals.

This comes after residents Karen Leach and Barry Meilleur appeared before County Council on Mar. 24, 2026, to express their concerns with the current regulations -- or lack thereof -- relating to Airbnb's and other short-term rentals in the North Vistas. As part of their presentation, Leach and Meilleur presented a stack of letters from nearby neighbors, all of whom agreed that the County must step in and create new regulations or bylaws surrounding these types of rentals. 

One of the incidents they cited as a prime example of their concerns was a situation from last August that saw a 'Stop Order' issued to a short-term rental on Davison Drive. Meilleur said that in this particular instance, the property was repeatedly used as an unauthorized event facility.

"On August 17th, 2025 -- a Sunday evening -- the quiet of the community was rocked by blaring music and amplified voices coming from an Airbnb on Davison Drive," said Meilleur. "Rocked is an understatement. The noise was so loud, it actually vibrated within my home."

He would go on to state the various issues posed by these types of rentals, noting that the owner of the residence is typically not present, which means any problems or concerns must be taken up by the community directly.

Karen Leach would then detail other situations where the presence of short-term rentals resulted in disturbances in the community. She cited one such incident that saw a large music event being held at a nearby property, in which after being asked to lower the volume at 2:00 a.m., the tenants instead increased the volume.

"I can't speak for the entire County, but in the North Vistas, I prefer a total ban. If someone tries to run a short-term rental or Airbnb, then the locals should be surveyed and given a chance to express our views," said Leach. "I hope you’ve read all our letters word for word. Some people may have been reluctant to write for whatever reason, but in speaking with 23 households, no one was in favor. They mentioned the extra traffic, noise, excess lighting and concerns about our property values."

Following the presentation, Leduc County Council directed administration to explore options for managing the concerns surrounding short-term rentals, which could possibly include the creation of a new bylaw or an outright ban.