The Mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, assures that the City takes its responsibilities to find the origin of the fire which destroyed a building in Old Montreal, causing several victims, but she also asks the rental platform Airbnb to Refuse to post listings of accommodations that are illegal.
“Short-term rental platforms can’t just say they are the housing marketplace and we wash our hands of it afterwards,” said Ms. Plante, in a press briefing Monday in front of the burned building. “If they want to be responsible corporate citizens, they have to help us enforce Quebec law and borough regulations. »
She revealed to be in contact with the director of Airbnb for Canada, Nathan Rotman, to whom she made this request officially.
Some people missing in last Thursday’s fire had rented their accommodation on Airbnb, while this type of rental is illegal in Old Montreal.
On Monday, investigators said they were still looking for six missing people in the rubble of the building, after a body was found. “But there may be others, we don’t know,” said Montreal Police Service Chief Fady Dagher, who stood alongside the mayor during the press conference. .
More details to come.