Short Term Accommodations
Complaints
If you wish to report a Short-term Accommodation property, please call the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula's 24/7 Nuisance Hotline.
(1) 855-331-0489
Anonymous complaints will not be processed. All complaints require a name, phone number, and/or email address, and a detailed description of the complaint in order for staff to properly respond and follow up to your inquiry.
Obtaining a Licence
The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula requires all operators of short-term accommodation (STA) rentals (less than 30 consecutive days) to obtain a short-term accommodation licence; monthly rentals (those of 30 or more consecutive days) do not require a licence.
Operators of short-term rental properties that have received correspondence regarding their property must obtain a short-term accommodation licence within 45-days of notification by the Municipality; STAs operating without a licence after this timeframe has passed will risk incurring a penalty of $1,000 a week.
If you have received correspondence from the Municipality regarding the operation of a short-term rental but you have ceased operations or sold your property, please complete and return the Declaration of Non-Operation for Short-Term Rentals.
The Municipality's Short-Term Accommodation By-law provides a system for the licensing of short-term rental properties.
Owner Authorization Form
The owner of the property that is being operated as a short term accommodation must complete the STA Owner Authorization Form if a person other than the property owner is submitting the Short Term Accommodation Licence Application. The Owner Authorization Form also allows Municipal staff to discuss matters relating to the operation of the property with the designated individual (e.g. property manager).
Save a copy of your submitted STA Owner Authorization Form. You will be required to submit a copy of this form as an attachment to your STA Licence Application.
Inspection Checklist
After you have submitted your STA licence application online, municipal staff will arrange an inspection where a municipal employee will visit your property and check for specific items relating to the operation of your STA. Please familiarize yourself ahead of time with the STA Inspection Checklist to ensure you will meet the criteria prior to the inspection.
Water Sample Pick up and Drop Off-Locations
Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula Office (56 Lindsay Road 5, Lion's Head, Ontario)
Pick up: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Drop Off: Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Wiarton Foodland (425 Berford Street, Wiarton, Ontario)
Pick-up: Monday- Friday 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Drop Off: Friday 8:00 a.m. - 10:25 a.m.
WETT Certificate
If a WETT Certificate is required for your property, find a WETT certified inspector here.
Short-Term Accommodation Licensing Objectives
The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula’s short-term accommodation (STA) licensing program provides a system of regulations for short-term accommodations with an aim to:
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Protect the character, amenities, and quality of the community;
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Create accountability for and to ratepayers, short-term accommodators, and visitors;
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Ensure occupants are provided with safe accommodations in terms of fire and building safety;
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Ensure STA owners and operators are made aware of their responsibilities to comply with Municipal By-laws and other regulations;
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Ensure STA premises are operated and maintained in sanitary and acceptable levels of interior conditions as per Property Standards;
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Ensure STA Operators are made aware of their responsibilities to comply with municipal by-laws and other regulations;
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Protect the character, amenities and quality of existing residential neighbourhoods;
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Create a level playing field for all STA Operators and provide enhanced consumer protection; and
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Permit responsible short-term accommodation across the Municipality.
There are specific areas of the Municipality that are zoned to allow for licensed Short Term Accommodation use.
STA use does not include a motel, hotel, bed and breakfast establishment, hospital, commercial resort unit, village commercial resort unit or similar commercial or institutional use.
A detailed background document outlines the process, purpose, and additional information that may be useful in registering a STA property. A list of terms and definitions used in the STA registration and licensing process can be viewed here.
How to Register a Short-Term Accommodation Property
Step 1: Apply for a STA permit/licence through Cloudpermit, the Municipality's online building permit system.
A step-by-step STA Registration Guidebook is available to assist applicants through the online application process.
When completing the Cloudpermit online application process, a number of supporting documents are required; please have the following information available for submission:
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Proof of ownership (copy of the transfer/deed proving evidence of ownership)
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Certificate of most recent septic inspection (example)
- Proof of Insurance (Ensure the amount of liability coverage is included)
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Site plan of the premises (may be hand drawn)
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Parking plan (may be hand drawn)
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Floor plan of the dwelling that includes the location of all bedrooms, exits, fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (may be hand drawn)
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Responsible Person Consent Form
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STA Owner Authorization Form
- Renter Code of Conduct
Step 2: The completed application package will be reviewed by the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula, and a life safety inspection will be scheduled for the property.
Step 3: Upon the fulfillment of all requirements, a STA Licence will be issued to a property owner for a period of one year.
An annual licensing fee will be applied to unhosted properties as outlined in the schedule of Short-Term Accommodation Licensing Fees. All licensed properties shall provide a Code of Conduct for their guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How many people can stay at my property? |
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The capacity of the property is based upon two persons per bedroom. A bedroom is defined as a room made for sleeping including an exterior window and an interior door. For example, a three bedroom house has the capacity to accommodate six people. A pullout couch or two sets of bunk beds does not denote additional capacity for registration of the property. |
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What type of septic inspection is required? |
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A visual inspection of your septic system is required to determine if it is in good working condition. A record of the pump out is required to be submitted. A receipt of pump out or inspection document is sufficient. This will need to be submitted as part of your licence application. |
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Does my site plan, floor plan, fire plan and parking plan need to be completed by a professional engineer? |
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No, they do not; however, your submission must be legible. A hand drawn map depicting the location of bedrooms, fire pits, garbage location etc. is acceptable. This will need to be submitted as part of your licence application. |
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What are the fees? |
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Determining Class
Fees
Other:
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What type of insurance is required? |
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The property owner must at hold Liability Insurance of at least not less than $2 million dollars per occurrence for property damage and bodily injury. |
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Who is a responsible person? |
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A responsible person is someone who is located within one hour of the property and is available for emergency calls. This can be a licensed property manager; however, the Municipality requires the property manager’s contact information. |
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What happens after registration? |
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After submitting your application through https://ca.cloudpermit.com/login, the Municipality will validate the information and review your application. Staff will contact either the owner or applicant to schedule an inspection. If the application is approved, a registration number will be generated and emailed to the licensee, along with a STA Manual PDF which should be posted inside the STA at all times. The Municipality can deny an application based on the eligibility criteria and will inform the applicant of its intention to deny the registration. No one is eligible to register or renew a short term rental if the application was denied or revoked in the last 12 months. |
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What do I do after I am licensed? |
Once registered as a short-term rental operator, you must:
The licensee shall be responsible for ensuring that the use of the short term accommodation unit shall not include:
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| My property is currently not in a residential zone, what do I do? |
| Generally, all existing STAs that were in operation prior to the passing of the STA By-law will be considered a legal non-conforming use and “grandfathered,” even if they do not comply with the provisions of the new Zoning By-law. STAs that were in existence prior to the new By-law are grandfathered and can continue to operate, whereas a new STA would not be permitted in those areas. New STAs are permitted in R1 and R2 zones only.
If the legal non-conforming status of a property were in question, an owner would need to provide proof that he/she were operating as an STA prior to the by-law being passed (records of rentals, proof of income, etc.). |
| I’m selling my property, what do I do? |
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A licence is non-transferable with the sale of a property. The licensee must notify the Municipality within 15 days of any changes such as:
If the licensee fails to notify the Municipality of any of the above changes, the licence will be considered void and the owner/applicant must apply for a new licence. |
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I am having issues completing my STA licence application through CloudPermit. What am I doing wrong? |
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After you have successfully created an account. You can create a new project. Title the project “STA Registration: [insert property address]. Then, select the “residential” project type”. Next, under “category” select “short-term accommodation” and under “work type” select “new”. For further information on how to apply, please refer to the STA Registration Guidebook on the municipal website. |
| Where can I find more information? |
| Municipal staff are available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Please call the office at 519-793-3522. |
The Frequently Asked Questions document is also available for you to save or print.
Declaration
When submitting a Short Term Accommodation Licence application, you attest to the following:
I hereby declare that I am the applicant for this application form, and the owner(s) of the property currently (or intend to) operate this address as a residential short term accommodation unit. I hereby certify that I have reviewed the completed short term accommodation licence application, supporting documentation and declarations, confirm them to be true and correct, and agree to be bound thereby. I agree to immediately notify the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula, in writing, of any changes regarding this information. I further declare that I understand it is my responsibility to ensure that this property is at all times in compliance with all applicable law, including but not limited to the Building Code Act, the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, the Electricity Act, and any regulations made under them. Without limiting these obligations, I also specifically declare the following three regulation requirements: Smoke alarms are installed, tested and maintained as required by the Ontario Building Code and the Ontario Fire Code respectively; Carbon monoxide alarms are installed, tested and maintained as required by the Ontario Building Code and the Ontario Fire Code respectively; and in accordance with the Ontario Fire Code, tenants have been instructed to notify the landlord if smoke alarms or carbon monoxide alarms have been disconnected, are not operating, or have been impaired. For specific questions relating to your property, please consult a professional. I understand that it is an offence pursuant to Section 3.9 of By-law 2021-84 to provide false or misleading information to the Municipality when applying for a short term accommodation licence, renewing a licence or at any other time. I further understand that the Municipality may revoke or suspend a licence issued because false or misleading information was provided to the Municipality.
Privacy Notification
This privacy notification relates to personal information collected on the Short Term Accommodation Licence application and Owner Authorization form.
Personal information on this form is being collected for the purpose of determining the owner's eligibility for a Short Term Accommodation Licence in the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula pursuant to its Bylaw(s). In providing this information, you have consented to its use for the above-described purpose and declare that all the information provided herein is correct. This information may be shared with applicable Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula departments and related agencies for the purpose of required inspections, approval of, and compliance with this licence application. The legislated authority to collect your personal information is the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. If you wish to obtain further information regarding the collection of your personal information, please contact the Clerk's Department at clerk@northernbruce.ca
Licensing Map
The map below displays existing STA licenses in the Municipality. Please note that this information is constantly being updated and may not accurately reflect recent submissions. The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula provides this product for personal use and for reference purposes only and should not be used for legal, engineering, or surveying purposes.
Contact Us
Peggy Van Mierlo-West
Chief Administrative Officer
Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula
56 Lindsay Road 5
Lion’s Head, Ontario N0H 1W0
T. (519) 793-3522 x225
F. (519) 793-3823
Send email to Peggy Van Mierlo-West
Map to the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula
