Property owners in Central Elgin who want to list their places on short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo will need a licence starting next year.
Municipal officials shared on Wednesday that they have started accepting applications for the short-term rental licences as part of a new bylaw approved over the summer, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
The Short-Term Rental Accommodations Licensing bylaw requires operators to obtain a valid licence before they can advertise, promote, or rent out any property.
<p Owners will need to pay an initial application fee of $300, plus an annual fee of $650 per unit. Officials from Central Elgin indicate that the program aims to be revenue-neutral for the municipality.
<p According to the bylaw, a short-term rental is defined as any dwelling rented out to the public for less than 28 consecutive days. This includes bed and breakfasts, hostels, and rooming houses.
<p The municipality says these new rules aim to enhance safety for guests using short-term rentals while ensuring fairness for local hotels, motels, and inns. Central Elgin includes Port Stanley, a lakeside community with many short-term rental listings that tend to increase during summer months.
“It starts to impact the character of the community and the experience of living there, and that’s something we’ve heard from (year-round) residents as well,” said Delany Leitch, deputy clerk for Central Elgin.
WATCH | Short-term rental rules frustrate owners in Ontario’s cottage country:
Cottage owners pulling short-term rentals over licensing fees
Hosts offering short-term rentals in Ontario’s cottage country claim that new regulations and licensing fees imposed by several municipalities will hurt smaller operators unfairly. For some individuals, meeting these new requirements isn’t worth it, leading them to remove their cottages from platforms like Airbnb.
<p Aside from Port Stanley where many rentals are found in Central Elgin, Leitch mentioned they've noticed more properties being used as rentals throughout other parts of the municipality too-especially near the Power Co EV battery plant in St. Thomas.
<p Production at this gigafactory is projected to begin in 2027.
<p"We're already seeing them cropping up, and the systems are showing that there are lots of single-family homes being used for that purpose," Leitch said.
<p As per the bylaw’s requirements, applicants must also submit exterior photos of their rental property along with site plans indicating bedroom locations, egress points, parking areas, among other details.
<p A fire inspection is mandatory as well as a written statement confirming compliance with the Building Code Act according to the bylaw.
<p To address issues often associated with short-term rentals better way , Leitch stated that Central Elgin is setting up a round-the-clock hotline where residents can report disturbances like excessive noise related to these rentals.
<p The individual responsible for managing a short-term rental would have half an hour to respond and resolve any complaints received. "The intent is that most of these disturbances can be addressed very quickly," Leitch explained.
The municipality interacted with local renters regarding concerns about fees and potential requirements. These discussions helped officials understand how important these rentals are for tourism and local economies,” she noted.
“No one had any objections to wanting to be part of the safety aspect of the program which really is its main goal,” Leitch added.
The bylaws state that once issued, a licence remains valid until year’s end; if an application comes after November’s second Monday but before December’s end, the licence lasts until year-end following issuance.
Central Elgin now joins London, Kitchener, Windsor, and various other lakeside municipalities such as Amherstburg , Bluewater, and Lambton Shores within regulating short term stays.
The COVID-19 pandemic intensified challenges across many towns including South Bruce Peninsula which began overseeing its own regulations surrounding holiday lettings since 2021
<p. Mayor Janice Jackson mentioned previously through back in ’22 about roughly fifteen percent (15%) private dwellings within her jurisdiction had become temporary accommodations “We want people coming here enjoying South Bruce Peninsula because it’s absolutely gorgeous here but you’ve got respect your neighbors”, she stated
<p."We face ongoing challenges posed due others who simply lack respect towards those living nearby.”
Source link
Cottage owners pulling short-term rentals over licensing fees
Hosts offering short-term rentals in Ontario’s cottage country claim that new regulations and licensing fees imposed by several municipalities will hurt smaller operators unfairly. For some individuals, meeting these new requirements isn’t worth it, leading them to remove their cottages from platforms like Airbnb.
<p Aside from Port Stanley where many rentals are found in Central Elgin, Leitch mentioned they've noticed more properties being used as rentals throughout other parts of the municipality too-especially near the Power Co EV battery plant in St. Thomas.
<p Production at this gigafactory is projected to begin in 2027.
<p"We're already seeing them cropping up, and the systems are showing that there are lots of single-family homes being used for that purpose," Leitch said.
<p As per the bylaw’s requirements, applicants must also submit exterior photos of their rental property along with site plans indicating bedroom locations, egress points, parking areas, among other details.
<p A fire inspection is mandatory as well as a written statement confirming compliance with the Building Code Act according to the bylaw.
<p To address issues often associated with short-term rentals better way , Leitch stated that Central Elgin is setting up a round-the-clock hotline where residents can report disturbances like excessive noise related to these rentals.
<p The individual responsible for managing a short-term rental would have half an hour to respond and resolve any complaints received. "The intent is that most of these disturbances can be addressed very quickly," Leitch explained.
The municipality interacted with local renters regarding concerns about fees and potential requirements. These discussions helped officials understand how important these rentals are for tourism and local economies,” she noted.
“No one had any objections to wanting to be part of the safety aspect of the program which really is its main goal,” Leitch added.
The bylaws state that once issued, a licence remains valid until year’s end; if an application comes after November’s second Monday but before December’s end, the licence lasts until year-end following issuance.
Central Elgin now joins London, Kitchener, Windsor, and various other lakeside municipalities such as Amherstburg , Bluewater, and Lambton Shores within regulating short term stays.
The COVID-19 pandemic intensified challenges across many towns including South Bruce Peninsula which began overseeing its own regulations surrounding holiday lettings since 2021<p. Mayor Janice Jackson mentioned previously through back in ’22 about roughly fifteen percent (15%) private dwellings within her jurisdiction had become temporary accommodations “We want people coming here enjoying South Bruce Peninsula because it’s absolutely gorgeous here but you’ve got respect your neighbors”, she stated
<p."We face ongoing challenges posed due others who simply lack respect towards those living nearby.”
Source link
