Council has opened the door to the possibility of bringing a short-term rental licensing option to Collingwood.
Based on public consultation and staff review of options for short-term rentals, councillors considered staff recommendations during Monday’s (Feb. 6) strategic initiatives standing committee meeting to create a short-term rental licensing system in Collingwood which will allow short-term rentals only in someone’s principal residence, or in an accessory unit where the owner lives in the principal residence.
The town’s current approach of not permitting short-term rentals has been difficult to enforce and therefore, ineffective.
Currently, as a rule, most short-term accommodations (STA) outside of hotels and motels are prohibited in Collingwood by the town’s zoning bylaw. Bed and breakfast units are allowed for short-term rental only if the owner or proprietor also lives in the same building where the units are being rented.
Despite this rule, according to the staff report, as of Jan. 31 the Town of Collingwood has identified 318 unique STA units advertised through 402 online listings.
Of these STAs, 89 per cent occupied the entire home, 12 per cent occupied part of a home (similar to a traditional B&B), 70 per cent occupied single-family homes and 30 per cent occupied multi-family dwellings.
Almas also noted a system could be set up to be self-sustaining, where the licensing fees collected annually from short-term rental owners would pay for the staff needed to enforce the licensing bylaw. She estimated two additional bylaw staff would be required to enforce such a bylaw.
A short-term accommodation or rental refers to a unit rented for fewer than 31 days.
If council votes in favour of the recommendation at their next regular meeting, staff would be directed to prepare a follow-up report on the issue no later than May 2023 which would include potential next steps, draft bylaws and framework before any changes would go into effect.
Staff noted another round of public consultation would also occur before the follow-up report is prepared.