Whistler ad offering free rent for ‘fun, occasional’ relationship slammed

Whether it’s fake or not, a Craigslist ad offering free rent to a “nice girl” in exchange for a “fun, occasional relationship” is being slammed online, by advocates, and even B.C.’s premier.

The posting, which has been active for four days, says the housing is available from December to April to someone willing to take part in a “girl-friend with benefits” type situation.

“I am a local business man in my early 30s, handsome and fit, looking for a nice girl who wants to be in a fun, occasional relationship. It is to note that I am in an ethically non monogamous relationship,” the listing reads.

The person who posted the ad says the house is in Whistler, and that whoever is chosen would get “a little one bedroom studio” with a private room, bathroom, laundry, kitchen, and parking spot at “no cost.”

It’s being offered to “only one girl. Or two?” and says “males,” drugs, pets, and partying at the home are not allowed.

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“Couple thoughts come to mind. First is, obviously, how disgusting? The conduct of this individual, it’s very disturbing to me that this person would post this ad,” said Premier David Eby when asked about his thoughts Monday.

He notes the ad comes amid an ongoing housing crisis, which has already put many vulnerable people into “a really untenable situation.”

Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director at Battered Women’s Support Services in Vancouver, agrees and notes these kinds of ads have popped up in the past.

“They are, of course, inherently exploitative,” she told CityNews. “So many people are dealing with increased costs of living and so this is a prime opportunity for this kind of ad, which can lead itself to all kinds of areas of exploitation.”

She says it can be difficult to negotiate the terms of something like what’s being proposed in this ad.

“It’s very difficult to hold to the terms and to deal with any kind of disagreement around the terms. And because the idea of a girlfriend, it’s a very gendered, relational term that is fraught with all kinds of grey areas in terms of expectations and in terms of conduct,” MacDougall explained, who notes the man being in an ethically non-monogamous relationship can also come with a lot of “grey areas.”

“Anybody entering into a girlfriend with benefits with somebody who has an … ethically non-monogamous relationship could be opening themselves up to all kinds of problems, even though we recognize that there’s a huge need for housing.”

The posting, which has been online for four days as of Monday, says anyone interested in applying should send a message with an introduction and a photo.

“Successful applicants will be contacted for a meet and greet at a popular bar in the village to see if we are a good fit :)” the listing continues.

‘Predatory behaviour’

MacDougall is questioning the poster’s motive, asking, if they have housing, “why don’t you just rent the apartment and subscribe to the traditional landlord-tenant relationship that is covered under the Residential Tenancy Act?”

MacDougall says the agreement being proposed in the Craigslist ad doesn’t really fall under the context of sex work.

“It falls more in the scope of what could be considered a ‘sugaring’ relationship perhaps, or a sugar daddy relationship, where there’s an expectation of a particular kind of relationship,” she explained.

“The best thing that we can do right now is to really advocate for our provincial government to ensure that there is housing and that housing is affordable. That’s the systemic problem that we’re dealing with here, combined with these gender dynamics that are these power dynamics and power imbalances that are within gendered relationships, and expectations within those power dynamics as well.”

Eby notes the ad highlights the urgent need to address the housing crisis, through measures like those taken by his NDP government.

Over the past year, the provincial government has placed restrictions on short-term rentals, made changes to remove age restrictions in stratas, and also brought in rules to entice cities to build more affordable rentals.

“Because this is urgent and it puts people in very vulnerable situations with predatory behaviour like this,” Eby said.

-With files from Martin MacMahon and Liza Yuzda