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A one-day turnover on issuing short-term rental licences certainly appealed to Tiny council, if a recent council meeting conversation was any indication.
The first quarter activity report of the Tiny Township municipal law enforcement officer bylaw department was brought to council’s attention, and there was particular interest by council toward the numbers regarding short-term rentals.
Since enacting a short-term rental licensing bylaw from the previous term of council, contention had been faced from nearly all sides of the subject as owners, renters and residents each aired their grievances. The overwhelming argument from nearly all parties converged, all asking how Tiny would enforce any bylaw that regarded short-term rentals.
The first quarter report noted short-term rentals remaining the most investigated item for the township bylaw department, with 27 of 67 occurrences in the 2024 timeframe; for the 2023 span they had been logged as 56 of 109 occurrences.
Chief municipal law enforcement officer Steve Harvey highlighted the busy 90-day period of the 2024 first quarter where there were 148 applications received and 112 licences approved, and compared it to the 178 days between October of 2022 through March of 2023 where 249 applications were received but only five licences approved.
“I’m really excited about (the numbers) when you look at all the challenges we had,” Harvey told council at the meeting. “And I’m really looking forward to the 2025 numbers; how fast things can progress.
“We actually had one of those (prior to the council meeting) that provided a really good, fully complete application and it was approved in a day, which was exciting for us… from a staff perspective.”
Harvey also provided an update from the report that 19 waitlist applications were awaiting additional paperwork, with 133 spots remaining as of March 31. For council, Harvey amended the numbers and noted that only 118 spots were remaining as of the meeting.
“We’ve been doing a lot more this year (for) enhanced education on the subject, and it’s really paying off in getting a lot better education out to some of these people,” said Harvey.
Much of that education is situated on the short-term rental page of the township website, which lists the process of applying and obtaining licences, as well as a thorough list of council reports and documents pertaining to enactment of the bylaw.
As per the report, 81 non-compliant letters had been sent to rental owners identified as advertising without a licence during the period of mid-February to the end of March.
Harvey additionally informed council of the township’s court-related year-over-year activity, noting that in 2023 there were just two court dates regarding five charges; however in the first quarter of 2024, there were four court dates regarding 181 charges.
“That’s really impacted our operations and consumed our time, moving from five to 181 counts,” stated Harvey.
Mayor Dave Evans expressed satisfaction in the numbers for both the application turnover as well as the enforcement aspect.
“I think (they’re) definitely positive numbers,” said Evans, “a testament to the increased workload by the number of files on your desk. Good to see the traction, and good to see that people are getting applications in that are complete.”
When another member of council asked if there were ways to increase expediency for applicants, Harvey replied with his expectation that the majority of “challenging subjects that have been encountered through this whole process last year and this year” would be resolved.
“One of the things that I’m optimistic to bring forward a report to council,” said Harvey, “is maybe looking at a different renewal fee, as opposed to a new applicant fee; and look at those people that are hopefully able to be processed in a day.
“That should take less time and in theory should be less cost challenging for the staff – as opposed to a brand new application which takes much more time and has snags and such,” Harvey added. He concluded by sharing his view that the program was in “the second phase of this, if you will; I think there’s still lessons to be learned.”
The first quarter municipal law enforcement report, including short-term rental application information, can be viewed on the agenda page on the Township of Tiny website.
Archives of council meetings are available to view on the township’s YouTube channel.
