Orillia implements its new short-term rental licencing bylaw

A new bylaw requiring short-term rental licencing is now in effect in Orillia.

The licencing bylaw went into effect to start the new year in an effort to establish standards and requirements for short-term rental accommodations in the city.

Twelve short-term rental owners have been approved for licencing, and six more applications are under review.

According to Mayor Don McIsaac, seven more owners have switched to long-term rentals because of the new rules.

"Twenty-five have just dropped out and said we're not going to be in this business anymore," he said. "Now, we're going after the 100 or so that haven't raised their hand or got a licence just to say, 'Hey, are you in this business?"

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The new rules limit 150 licenced rental properties to operate in the city at any given time and help Orillia enforce its regulations.

"A couple were causing problems, so I think that's brought it into the right frame of reference," the mayor added.

The Ontario Restaurant, Hotel, and Motel Association welcomed the new registry and said it puts Orillia on track with other municipalities' regulations for short-term rentals.

However, the group said stronger wording is needed on who can operate sites.

"It is open for anyone, even outside the municipality, to purchase homes and rent them out," said Tony Elenis, Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association president and CEO.

Elenis is in favour of legislating short-term rentals to the owner's principal property to reduce commercialized rental properties.

"It's not about the ma and pa operators renting out a unit to earn extra money," he added.

McIsaac said the city did discuss implementing that rule when drafting the bylaw but added that it is comfortable for where it is.

"There are people who have short-term rentals attached to their house; they don't have access to it, so it's a short-term rental, and that works well," McIsaac said.