Innisfil looks to set new guidelines for short-term rentals

The Town of Innisfil is looking to develop policies and regulations to oversee short-term rentals like AirBnB's after years of resident concerns.

"It tends to be noise, late-night activities going on in a quiet setting, there's sometimes concerns about litter and that kind of thing, and parking," explained Leo Deloyde, Town of Innisfil.

The town's current licencing regimes and zoning regulations outdate the recent growth in short-term rental properties, which have become increasingly popular with the help of social media.

The town will host a virtual public meeting Wednesday evening regarding the short-term accommodations.

Town council directed staff to consider zoning provisions, develop a licensing bylaw, and implement a four per cent Municipal Accommodation Tax.

The bylaw would give the town the power to introduce a demerit point system for these disruptions, which could result in an owner losing their licence.

If approved, the new regulations will be phased in, with the first set of rules coming into effect on July 1.

Short-term accommodations are residential dwellings rented to others on a temporary basis, typically less than 28 nights.