Special Council - Business Licence Hearing
June 10, 2026 · 10:30 am
Summary
- Wayne Lamb applied for a 2026 short-term rental business licence for the secondary suite at 6165 Main Street, a unit he and his mother co-own as part of a single-family home at 6167 Main Street.
- The Deputy Chief Licence Inspector declined to issue the licence on the grounds that 6165 Main Street is not Lamb's principal residence, as required under Section 28.1(3) of Vancouver's Licence By-law 4450.
- City evidence showed the suite was short-term rented approximately 87% of days in 2024 and 80% in 2025; inspection photos showed little food, clothing, or personal belongings in the downstairs unit.
- Lamb had previously held short-term rental licences for 6167 Main Street in 2024 and 2025, but the audit determined rentals were actually occurring in the secondary suite at 6165, which has a distinct legal address assigned in 2013.
- Lamb stated he moved into the secondary suite on December 31, 2025, shortly after being told to remove all listings; he contradicted this at his audit interview, saying he likely moved in around late January or February 2026.
- Lamb argued he was unaware 6165 was a separate legal address, that the short-term rental income funds his 90-year-old mother's care, and that the address does not appear in publicly accessible records such as BC Assessment.
- The panel found the evidence did not support principal residency and refused the licence application unanimously.
Motions
Refuse Business Licence AL0227857
6165 Main Street Carried Details
- Proposed refusal of a 2026 business licence to Wayne Lamb for short-term rental accommodation at 6165 Main Street.
- Basis: evidence from audits, inspection photos, portal booking data, and the audit interview collectively failed to establish that 6165 Main Street is Lamb's principal residence as required by the licence by-law.
- Key factors cited: occupancy rates of 80-90%, sparse personal effects in the suite, Lamb's personal belongings stored upstairs at 6167, and contradictory statements about when he moved into the suite.
- Panel acknowledged Lamb's personal circumstances, including caring for his elderly mother and relying on rental income for her care costs, but found these did not satisfy the legal principal residence requirement.
- Panel noted the by-law's principal residence rule applies regardless of whether a secondary suite has a distinct address, and that long-term rental of the unit remains an option for Lamb.