Marc-Antoine Vachon, a professor at Université du Québec à Montréal who holds the Transat chair in tourism, said he expects the new rules to reduce the number of units on the market - but he said the market should adapt.

She said there should be enough space this season in hotels and legal short-term rentals however, she said prices for both types of accommodations may rise and some tourists may have to stay in the suburbs. She said 9.5 million visitors are expected in the city this year, adding that about 20 per cent of tourists in past years stayed in short-term rentals. 'There can't be a healthy industry if it's based on not respecting laws.'

'At Tourisme Montréal, we often talk about being a harmonious destination harmony takes different forms in the city, but there's no harmony when it's done illegally,' Aurélie de Blois, a spokeswoman for the agency, said in an interview. Montreal's tourism promotion agency, Tourisme Montréal, said it welcomes Airbnb's decision. The Quebec government has said it would introduce a bill to force other platforms to do the same.

Last week, following a fire in Old Montreal that killed seven people - including six who were staying in unlicensed short-term rentals - Airbnb said it would remove illegal Quebec listings from its site. MONTREAL - The Quebec government's crackdown on Airbnb has upended Montreal's short-term rental market, leading some to welcome the changes and others scurrying to evade the new rules.

Mountain airbnb