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HomeNewsCouncil Adopts New Bylaws Regulating Short Term Rentals In City Of Kawartha...

Council Adopts New Bylaws Regulating Short Term Rentals In City Of Kawartha Lakes

KAWARTHA LAKES-Council has adopted new bylaws this summer with respect to how Short Term Rentals operate and how complaints are managed. 

At the June 20, 2023 Regular Council meeting, Council adopted a new By-law to License, Regulate and Govern Short-Term Rental Accommodation Businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes and approved a soft rollout for a licensing program. Officials say the new program and By-law will allow the municipality to respond to concerns quickly, and to ensure that owners are taking responsibility for the safe and respectful use of their properties according to the City.

A Short Term Rental operating year-round with an owner or manager on-site will pay $300. The fee will drop to $150 for a seasonal property. If there is no manager or owner on-site the fee rises dramatically to $1500 per year or $750 seasonally.

The licenses will work on a demerit point system. If a property reaches 7 demerit points it will have its license suspended for six months. If it reaches 15 demerit points the license will be revoked. Demerit points will reset after two years.

There will be a new 24/7 vendor-supported intake and complaint response system. The STR Task Force has suggested that this time period is approximately 20 days, covering the weekends in July and August. Bylaw hours will also be expanded later into the evenings.

Read more about the bylaws here:https://www.kawartha411.ca/2023/06/06/short-term-rental-licensing-likely-coming-this-summer-for-city-of-kawartha-lakes/

Kawartha Lakes Municipal Law Enforcement and Licensing Office is preparing to roll out the program. Initial steps include hiring four new Municipal Law Enforcement Officers, creating a licensing framework and launching the vendor relationship that will enable complaints to be received and actioned on a 24-hour basis. 

The program will see a ‘soft rollout’ for the balance of the year. Short Term Rental owners can expect to be contacted by Kawartha Lakes with further information on becoming licensed. 

Staff will bring a report to Council by March 31, 2024 to report on how the Short Term Rental Accommodation Business Licensing Program is being received in the community along with any necessary recommendations to amend the By-law. 

If you need to report a By-law infraction, please visit the online complaint form, or call 705-324-9411 ext. 1212 or 705-928-3054.

In the case of emergency, or if the situation involves a criminal activity, please contact police: 
Lindsay and Ops: Kawartha Lakes Police Service
To contact Police Administration please call 705-324-5252. In an emergency call 911 immediately.

All areas outside Lindsay and Ops: 
OPP Kawartha Lakes Detachment. To contact Police Administration please call 705-324-6741. In an emergency call 911 immediately. 

How to stay informed as the program rolls out.
Updates will be posted on the Short Term Rental page of the website at www.kawarthalakes.ca/str. Subscribe to this page for instant updates as they become available. 

Learn more about the process that resulted in the new program.
Details on the public consultation, task force recommendations and more are available on the municipality’sengagement website: www.jumpinkawarthalakes.ca/str  

Read the Short Term Rental – Licensing Program Implementation report. 

Read the new By-law to License, Regulate and Govern Short-Term Rental Accommodation Businesses in the City of Kawartha Lakes.  

 

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Pamela Vanmeer
Pamela Vanmeerhttps://www.kawartha411.ca/
Pamela VanMeer is a two time winner of the prestigious Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Award. Her investigative reports on abuse in Long Term Care Homes garnered international attention for the issue and won the Ron Laidlaw Award. She is a former reporter and anchor at CHEX News, now Global Peterborough and helped launch the New CHEX Daily, a daily half hour talk show. While at CHCH News in Hamilton she covered some of the biggest news stories of the day.

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