For those hoping to find loopholes in the rental accommodations of Tiny Township, one recent provincial restriction has made members of council quite happy.
Floating accommodations were deemed prohibited from docking overnight on provincial waterways at the start of July by the Ontario government, with Tiny Mayor Dave Evans expressing his delight during a recent meeting of the committee of the whole.
“This house did second a motion and a directive from the Township of Severn with regard to floating accommodations (back in) February,” Evans shared during the consent items portion of the meeting. “It’s good to see that there has been a resolution to this.”
The regulatory change was aimed toward protecting provincial lakes and rivers through preserving access to public lands, and ensuring fairness for recreational users.
As per Ontario Regulation 161/17, the regulation was amended to clarify that floating accommodations, such as sea-cans and similar transport containers, ‘cannot be placed or used for outdoor accommodation or camping purposes on public land covered by water.’
Reading from the press release, Evans pointed out directly how watercraft primarily designed for navigation, like a houseboat for example, differentiated from rafts and barges which contain buildings or structures equipped for overnight accommodation.
Short-term rental accommodations have been a continuing point of conflict within Tiny Township as the municipality has wrestled with ways to handle frustrated residents, seasonal property rental owners, unruly visitors, and municipal liability.
Tiny council had been discussing floating accommodations as a point of concern last year when council of the Township of Georgian Bay were addressing the matter on its own shores.
“We backed a good horse, and we’ve got some change,” Evans said. “Sea-can floating barges will not be allowed in the Township of Tiny.”
Coun. Kelly Helowka added: “Under Transport Canada, which is the federal unit that’s responsible for that, they don’t allow that either. So we’ve just got backup to our backup.”
Even Coun. Steffen Walma joined in with a quip as chair of the meeting, simply adding, “Hashtag: winning.”
Archives of council meetings are available to view on Tiny Township’s YouTube channel.
