Hotels may be considered an essential service, but Airbnb rentals are decidedly not — or so says the Government of Ontario.

Regulations issued by the province under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act were amended on Friday to shorten the list of businesses considered "essential" during this active state of emergency down to 44 from 74.

Available now in full via the government's website, the order provides further details about how services deemed critical are allowed to operate in the Ontario, and it is now perfectly clear where short-term rentals stand.

As of 11:59 p.m. on April 4, vacation rentals booked through sites like Airbnb are permitted exclusively for emergency housing purposes.

"Every person who provides short term rentals in rental accommodations shall ensure that any rentals booked after April 4, 2020 are only provided to individuals who are in need of housing during the emergency period," reads the order. 

"[This rule] does not apply in respect of hotels, motels and student residences."

Previous to the government's official order, several Toronto condo buildings had already directed Airbnb-lords to shut down their operations for the duration of the pandemic.

"The Board of Directors has sought professional advice in light of the growing state of emergency and has determined that short-term rentals within the Corporation during the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic presents an undue risk of danger to TSCC 2510's residents and the short-term tenants themselves," reads a memo send to unit owners at the ICE Condos complex on York Street late last month.