Mixed reviews over proposed short-term rental bylaw
Tiny Township is bringing in regulations to deal with the ever-growing popularity of short-term rentals, but not everyone is pleased with the solution.
"We've had a number of complaints brought to our attention, and as a council, we wanted to give some thought to how we could better manage this," Mayor George Cornell said.
For years property owners, including Yelena Vuckovic, have rented out their homes free of regulations, and now she's concerned about the new limitations.
"We rent it out about 40 days of the year, not more because we use it mostly for ourselves," Vuckovic said. "This is just creating more red tape for normal regular families like us."
During a special council meeting on May 11, council discussed the details of a draft short-term rental licensing bylaw.
PROPOSED CHANGES
The township is looking to cap the number of licenses to 300, approximately three per cent, of the total homes in the municipality.
A cap will also be placed on the rental duration, meaning short-term rentals must be rented for a minimum of six consecutive days and no longer than 28.
The draft bylaw also recommends limits on the number of days per year a property can be rented out. The current limit being explored is between 92 and 105 days.
At the same time, the idea of a 'blackout period' was suggested for August, preventing property owners from renting their properties during that month.
"It's about quality of life, and we want people to be able to come, seasonal folks and even full-time residents, and be able to enjoy their homes," Cornell said.
COMMERCIAL VS. RESIDENTIAL
But some argue the township's solution of a one-size-fits-all approach is problematic, saying the real issue is with commercial properties, which are referred to as ghost hotels.
"The ones that are creating more and more of a problem and driving real estate prices up because these companies are buying up properties and renting multiple properties," said Paul Cowley, president of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations.
"Along with that comes problems with noise, and we have a particular concern with that in Tiny because bylaw enforcement does not seem capable of effectively enforcing that noise bylaw and governing those areas," he added.
The situation has Vuckovic frustrated over what's being proposed, including licensing fees and costs associated with annual inspections.
"The commercial hosts are the only hosts that are going to be able to accomplish this," she said. "It's going to cost us $5,000 annual just to cover licensing."
Council gave further instruction to staff on Wednesday to come back with an implementation plan looking at a target date of June 8.
At that time, the draft bylaw will be up for further discussion.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.