The downtown Vancouver skyline is seen in an aerial view from east Vancouver, on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Airbnb has won a court ruling that quashes an order from British Columbia's privacy commissioner that would have identified hosts and their home addresses in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
VANCOUVER – Airbnb has won a court ruling that quashes an order from British Columbia’s privacy commissioner that would have identified hosts and their home addresses in Vancouver.
The B.C. Supreme Court ruling released Wednesday says the Information and Privacy Commissioner got it wrong when it ordered the City of Vancouver to release the information about hosts who hold short-term rental licences without notifying them.
Justice Jasvinder Basran’s ruling says the privacy commissioner must reconsider its findings after notifying Airbnb hosts about the potential release of the information.
The ruling says both the City of Vancouver and the company had opposed releasing the records to an unnamed “John Doe” party, claiming the information could be used to harm the property owners.
The judge’s decision says the privacy commissioner incorrectly classified home addresses as business information rather than personal information since Airbnb hosts run home-based businesses in their principal residences.
The court ruling says home address information is indeed personal information and when coupled with a short-term rental licence holder’s name, could lead to the discovery of a “treasure trove” of personal information.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.
