Ivan Radic / CC
The number of short term accommodation (STA) licence applications cooled in Northern Bruce Peninsula this year compared to 2022.
Northern Bruce Peninsula council received an update to the STA licensing program for 2023 during a meeting on Nov. 27, detailing how the program has been operating.
Discussions surrounding the implementation of the program to manage STAs within the municipality began late 2018, with the by-law being adopted in 2021.
A report from Committee and Licensing Coordinator Lindsay Forbes says the goals of implementing the by law were to protect the character, amenities and quality of the community, create accountability, ensure occupants are provided safe accommodations, and ensure STA owners and operators are made aware of their responsibilities.
Since the implementation of the STA licensing program on Jan. 1, 2022, Forbes has received 477 applications for STA licences, and there are currently 367 licences which remain valid in Northern Bruce Peninsula.
“The noted discrepancy between the number of licence applications and valid licences can be attributed to the application of ineligible dwellings, the sale of properties, incomplete applications, expired licenses, revoked licences and withdrawals from the STA licensing program,” says the report.
Additionally the number of STA licence applications slowed down this year with 87, compared to the 390 in 2022.
In July, the municipality launched a new STA webpage, which includes a step-by-step overview of the licensing process, creating the application, facilitating a successful licensing inspection, and more.
Since the start of this year, the report says the municipality has received 40 complaints regarding STAs, some of which include exceeding occupancy limits, noise, and garbage.
Earlier this year, the municipality implemented a limit to cap STA licences in Northern Bruce Peninsula at 700.
“However, several inquiries have been made regarding the expansion of the STA licensing Program into rural zones,” says the report.
Forbes says they are also working with Airbnb on licensing STAs.
“Any listing that would be newly created, would have to have a licence number in order to be put on the listing website,” says Forbes. “We met with an Airbnb representative a few weeks ago and they were very receptive with it. They were really keen on working with local authorities, especially with implementing such tools in accordance with the licensing guidelines of the municipalities.”