Town hires private investigator to crack down on illegal short-term rentals
Tiny Township is cracking down on illegal short-term rentals.
"In extreme cases, we've hired a private investigator (PI). It's a great option for us," says Tiny Township Mayor Dave Evans.
After consulting with the town's lawyers, the municipality's bylaw department proposed the idea, and the mayor says they will use the PI on a case-by-case basis.
"In egregious situations or somewhat rare situations, where people are blatantly flouting the bylaw, we need to gather evidence to be able to process these cases successfully," Evans says.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
In 2022, Tiny implemented a licencing system that grants short-term accommodation permits to a maximum of 300 units per year. The cost of the licence is $1,750.
"The vast majority of short-term rental owners who are getting licences are invested in our community. They're getting their certifications, they're paying the money, they're involved, and these are the people we are doing this for. We want to make sure the community is protected," says Evans.
Tiny Township is one of the first municipalities in Simcoe County to utilize a PI for short-term rentals, but neighbouring municipalities aren't opposed to the idea.
"The mentality of it makes sense to me. It's no different than a plain-clothes police officer or an unmarked police car doing a radar. I think if you're an honest operator, then you have nothing to worry about," says Midland Mayor Bill Gordon.
Midland currently does not have any regulatory bylaws for short-term rentals. However, Gordon says that could change, and implementing a municipal accommodation tax would be first on the list.
"Right now, our hotel operators collect that exclusively, and the many short-term rentals don't. And really, it's a team effort. We really need all the people operating overnight stays in town to collect the municipal accommodation tax, which benefits tourism," says Gordon.
The Midland mayor says they will look to neighbouring townships over the next few months before deciding whether to establish a new framework.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.