North Bay considers regulating Airbnb-style rentals
North Bay city council is considering creating a bylaw to regulate the short-term rental industry, which includes Airbnb.
In a report headed to council Tuesday evening, city staff said the purpose of regulating the rentals include reducing conflict with neighbours and ensuring the short-term rental (STR) industry doesn't exacerbate current housing shortages.
One of the issues, the report said, is that such rentals have evolved from people renting their entire house while they were away, to people buying homes specifically to turn them into Airbnb-style rentals full-time.
STRs are popular in the north, with 87 properties in North Bay listed on Airbnb or VRBO, the top rental platforms. That compares to 181 in Greater Sudbury, 65 in the Sault and 33 in Timmins.
"Much of the rapid growth in the STR industry is the result of a shift in business model: from home-sharing to commercial operation," the report said.
"The impact of short-term rentals on housing deserves special attention, given the crisis-level housing pressures being felt in many communities and the status of adequate housing as a fundamental human right."
Another concern is the STR industry doesn't pay the hotel room tax, which raises concerns about whether there is a level playing field in the accommodation industry.
"A select few Ontario municipalities, including Brockville, Barrie, City of Greater Sudbury, Mississauga and Ottawa, have negotiated an agreement with Airbnb to collect and remit these taxes on behalf of guests and operators," the report said.
"For municipalities without agreements with platforms to collect and remit this tax, compliance rates have been low."
North Bay can learn from other communities that have passed STR bylaws, the report said, and should prioritize such things as minimizing conflicts between residents of a neighbourhood and people in a STR and finding a balance between accommodating the tourism industry and ensuring affordable housing.
The report said the city can either do nothing and allow STRs to continue unregulated, or direct staff to come up with a bylaw defining STRs, restricting them to certain zones and creating a licensing bylaw.
"This option should include public consultation to obtain feedback on the issues, concerns and opportunities for short-term rental regulations," the report said.
Read the full report here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.