Short Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Registration

The Township of Georgian Bay is committed to ensuring the safety, tranquility, and integrity of our community. Our Short-term Rental By-law is designed to regulate short-term rental properties and create a harmonious living environment for both residents and visitors.

On December 11^th, 2023, Council passed By-law 2023-116 to register, regulate and govern Short-Term Rentals in the Township of Georgian Bay.

Key Highlights

Safety First: The by-law includes safety standards to protect all occupants.
Noise Control: Measures to prevent disruptions to the neighbourhood.
Property Maintenance: Guidelines for property upkeep.
Registration: Short-term rental operators must register their properties.

NEW Renew an Existing Registration

Step 1 - Preparing for your Renewal

Who Needs to Renew?

If you have previously obtained a short-term rental registration, it is mandatory to renew your registration annually.

The renewal process must be completed prior to the expiry date indicated on the bottom of your current registration to ensure the continued use of the short-term rental.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you do not currently have a valid Short-Term Rental Registration, you are required to submit a Short-Term Rental Application Form found below on this webpage.

To renew your short-term rental, you will require the following:

Short-Term Rental Registration Number (ex. RA2024-xxx)
Updated Proof of Insurance ($2,000,000 Liability + identifies STR is operating on the premises)

To renew your short-term rental, you may need the following (if updated or expired):

Proof of Ownership (Tax bill or Proof of Title)
Responsible Persons Consent Form
Septic Inspection by a qualified professional or record of pump out within the last three years (if applicable)
Site Plan - See Example
Floor Plan - See Example
Waste Disposal Plan
Sustainability Pledge *OPTIONAL (If you wish to complete a sustainability pledge with your short-term rental renewal, you must submit 10 new items that you did not pledge to complete the previous year).

*Ensure that ALL documentation is prepared prior to beginning renewal application.

Step 2 - Completing Renewal Application

The Township of Georgian Bay is accepting renewal applications through our fillable form.

Once you have prepped all documentation indicated in Step 1, please click the link below to fill out your application.

PLEASE NOTE: The application is a fillable form that cannot be saved. If you do not have all required information completed, you will not be able to submit your application.

Short Term Rental Renewal Application

Step 3 - Application Review

Once your renewal application has been submitted, the By-law department staff will be reviewing the information submitted to confirm that all is correct and it meets the standard set out in the short-term rental by-law.

Should the application be missing information or not conforming to the by-law, the applicant will be advised of the required amendments or additions required. Applicants will be given the opportunity to update the application or provide any missing documentation.

Once the By-law department has reviewed the application and confirms that all parts are in compliance, information may be sent to the building and finance department for a desktop review.

Step 4 - Payment

Fees for Short-Term Rental Renewal (as of Feb 4th, 2025)

Light rental host (21 days or less) - $250
- 10% discount applicable with approved sustainability plan
Regular rental host (22 days or more) - $1000
- 10% discount applicable with approved sustainability plan

PLEASE NOTE: All short-term rental applications that require a building department review are subject to a $100 review fee that will be added to the fees indicated above. This will include all renewals that choose to add a legal sleeping cabin or sleeping area.

Step 5 - Approval

Once the renewal application has been reviewed in full and the appropriate fee(s) have been paid, the Register Issuer will issue a new approved registration for the short-term rental.

The renewed registration is valid for one year from the date of issuance, and will need to be renewed prior to the registration becoming expired.

The registration must displayed in the short-term rental and will also outline the max occupancy of the short-term rental.

Apply for a New Registration

Step 1 - Preparing for Your Application

Download Short Term Rental Application Checklist to prep all the required documentation you will require before beginning your application. Please also check the supporting documents below for helpful examples of some of the requirements for a complete application.

Required Documents for the application:

Proof of Ownership (Tax bill or Proof of Title)
Responsible Persons Consent Form
Proof of Insurance ($2,000,000 Liability + identifies STR is operating on the premises)
Septic Inspection by a qualified professional or record of pump out within the last three years (if applicable)
Site Plan - See Example
Floor Plan - See Example
Waste Disposal Plan
Sustainability Pledge (Read the Sustainability Toolkit for a guide) *OPTIONAL
If Corporation, proof that corporation is legally entitled to conduct business in Canada (not required for all short-term rentals)

Additional documentation required within your premise:

Step 2 - Completing New Application

The Township of Georgian Bay is accepting new registration applications through our fillable form.

Once you have prepped all documentation indicated in Step 1, please click the link below to fill out your application.

PLEASE NOTE: The application is a fillable form that cannot be saved. If you do not have all required information completed, you will not be able to submit your application.

Short Term Rental Application

Step 3 - Application Review

Once your application has been submitted, the By-law department staff will be reviewing the information submitted to confirm that all is correct and it meets the standard set out in the short-term rental by-law.

Once the By-law department has reviewed the application and confirms that all parts are in compliance, information will be sent to the building and finance department for a desktop review.

PLEASE NOTE: All new short-term rental applications require a building department review and will be subject to a $100 review fee that will be added to the fees indicated below.

Step 4 - Payment

Fees for Short-Term Rental Registration (as of Feb 4th, 2025)

Light rental host (21 days or less) - $250
- 10% discount applicable with approved sustainability plan
- DOES NOT include building review fee
Regular rental host (22 days or more) - $1000
- 10% discount applicable with approved sustainability plan
- DOES NOT include building review fee

Step 5 - Approval

Once the application has been reviewed in full and the appropriate fee(s) have been paid, the Register Issuer will issue the approved registration for the short-term rental.

The registration is valid for one year from the date of issuance, and will need to be renewed prior to the registration becoming expired.

The registration must displayed in the short-term rental and will also outline the max occupancy of the short-term rental.

Resources

Council Reports, Presentations & Background Information

Sustainability Department Report 2022-11 (December 12^th, 2022)

Administration Department Report 2023-014 (February 13th, 2023)

Fire and Emergency Services Department Report 2023-063 (May 8th, 2023)

Short-Term Rental Host Presentation (September 9^th, 2023)

Fire and Emergency Services Department Report 2023-201 (November 13th, 2023)

Fire and Emergency Services Department Report 2023-116 (December 11th, 2023)

Municipal Accommodation Tax - Sustainability Report 2024-090 (May 13th, 2024)

Fire and Emergency Services Department Report 2024-244 (December 10th, 2024)

By-Laws Pertaining to Short Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Guests: By-law Summaries

Full by-laws linked below:

Questions?

Please review our frequently asked questions below.

For any further questions, please contact the by-law department by emailing by-law@gbtownship.ca or by calling 705-538-2337 ext. 251.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this by-law matter?

The Short-term Rental By-law matters because it:

Ensures the safety of all occupants.
Preserves the character of our community.
Balances the interests of residents and visitors.

What is involved with registering a short-term rental?

The owner and or responsible person must, complete an application and provide all the required documentation on the website. Once all documentation is reviewed and approved by staff, the by-law department will issue a registration for the STR.

What is the difference between light and regular rental host?

Light Rental Host means the STR is rented for 21 days or less within a calendar year, a regular host is 22 days or more in a calendar year.

What is a "responsible person"?

This can be the owner or an agent assigned by the owner of the STR to ensure the STR is operating in accordance with the by-law. The responsible person must be available to attend to the property within 60 minutes upon request in case of an emergency or by-law issue.

What is the maximum number of people allowed to stay at a STR?

The maximum number of people at a STR at any one time shall be restricted to two people per guest room.

Is a water access only property allowed to be registered as an STR?

Yes, seasonally maintained roads, private road, water access only properties are allowed to operate as an STR but must post an emergency services statement within the dwelling.

Am I able to rent out my family members cottage with their permission?

Yes, the applicant can complete the application form on behalf of the property owner with their permission.

How can I make my rental property more sustainable and where can I get all the information to do so?

Please visit the Sustainable Tourism webpage on our Township website for more information: https://www.gbtownship.ca/en/business-and-development/sustainable-tourism.aspx

I rent my cottage out monthly to the same renter does the STR By-law apply to me during this consecutive rental period?

No, if you rent for 30 or more consecutive days to the same renter, the STR by-law does not apply you during this time.

Can I register as a light rental host and midway through the year switch to a regular rental host if I receive more bookings and just pay the difference at that time?

No, you must choose which rental use category at the beginning of the year when you register. If you choose the light rental host then you must stay within those 21 days of rental for the calendar year.

Can a renter's violation of a by-law or the renters code of conduct be held agains the owner of the property?

If a renter violates any Township by-law, enforcement will fall on the renter and not the host. If it can be proven that actions by the renters were out of negligence by the host, that host may have fines imposed against them.