Editor's note: MidlandToday is republishing some of the most widely read stories from 2022. This story was originally published on October 1.
Tiny Township is taking the next step in its short-term-rental licensing program.
Following approval of a bylaw to establish regulations and registration requirements for its estimated 400 STRs in August, the municipality will start accepting applications Tuesday with an end date of November 15.
With roughly 400 STRs operating in the township currently, a set amount of 300 licence applications will be issued on a first-come-first-serve basis
To accomplish this task, the township is partnering with Granicus/Host Compliance, an internationally recognized company that specializes in identifying and monitoring short-term rentals, to assist the Township in identifying such properties.
Additionally, Granicus/Host Compliance has already started mailing letters to properties that have been identified as operating an STR in the township.
The primary motive behind the move is to eliminate problematic ‘ghost hotels’ – unconstrained rented dwellings with absentee landlords.
Tiny councillors agreed upon a $1,500 flat licensing fee in the first year of implementation. Staff calculated that after the hiring of many required part-time, full-time and contracted positions and various expenses, just under $1,350 would be needed.
Enforcement, a concern by many residents, will be increased through the hire of a full time STR officer as a point-of-contact. As Granicus receives a notification through officer observation or resident complaint, appropriate enforcement will occur. Numbered corporations running STRs in residential areas were in council’s sights as well.
“This has not been easy,” Mayor George Cornell said after council arrived at the new bylaw in August.
“I’d like to think that with the help of the input of the public, our short-term rental task force, and council, that I think we’ve arrived at a good spot… and look forward to the implementation of our new short-term rental licensing bylaw.”
The township encourages short-term operators to review the website and begin the application process once it goes online Tuesday.
If a STR operator fails to complete an application by 11:59 p.m. on November 15, he or she will be contravention of Bylaw #22-017 and must cease operations immediately.
The township doesn’t plan to accept any new applications after that date and failure to follow municipal guidelines could result in court-assessed fines of up to $100,000 per violation.
Questions regarding this program should be directed to the licensing officer by email at [email protected] or by calling (705) 525-4204, ext. 291.
