What is a Short-Term Rental (STR)

Short-Term Rental operators/hosts are people who rent their homes or room(s) on a short-term basis for a period of less than twenty-eight (28) consecutive nights throughout all or any part of a calendar year. This can include renting a private room in a home, an entire home, a seasonal property such as a cottage, or any other space.

Short-Term Rentals do not include established accommodations such as bed and breakfasts, hotels, trailer parks or campgrounds. Please note: As per the Townships Zoning By-Law 06-10, Sleeping Cabins/Bunkies are NOT permitted to be used for or in conjunction with, a Short-Term Rental.

 Preparing your Application

If you are interested in obtaining a licence after October 1, 2024 please review our Short Term Rental License Application Checklist to ensure you have all necessary requirements.

When preparing your application, please do the following:

Step 1. Review the current Short-Term Rental By-law in advance of applying.

Step 2. Complete the Short-Term Rental Application in full. The application consists of the following:  

Section A - Location of Short-Term Rental

Include 911 address (address you would provide to emergency service for assistance ie. 1234 Beaver Way).

Section B – Applicant Information

Owner or agents name, mailing address, email and phone number.

Please note:  If you are acting as an "agent", a letter of authorization is required from the owner advising that they give you permission to apply for an STR Licence at the specified address (ie. 1234 Beaver Lane) on their behalf.

Section C – Owners Information

If there is more than one owner - their name, mailing address, email and phone number.

Section D – Responsible Person

The Responsible Person must be able to respond within 60 minutes and attend to the site within 24 hours if required.  Their name, mailing address, email and phone number must be completed and kept up to date at all times.

Section E – Premises Information

List the number of bedrooms or sleeping areas, the total number of beds, and the total occupant load.  You must indicate how many bedrooms your existing sewage system was approved for.  You can find this information on your sewage system permit or your installation report. If you cannot find your sewage system permit or installation report, you can complete an Application for Copy of Septic System and or Installation Report.  Please take note:  there is a fee for this report - please contact the Septic Inspector for this information.  Both the fee and the Application are to be sent in to the Septic Inspector.  Once the fee and the Application is received, the Septic Inspector will then perform a search of the Township records to see if there is a copy of this record.  

Section F – Completeness and Compliance

Please select Yes or No for each row.

Section G – Attachments Required To Be Submitted With Application:

• Certificate of Insurance - a certificate of insurance which includes a liability limit of no less than two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence for property damage or bodily injury. Such insurance policy must identify that a Short-Term Rental Accommodation is being operated on the Premises. The insurance coverage required herein shall be endorsed to the effect that the Municipality shall be given at least ten (10) days' notice in writing of any cancellation or material variation to the policy.
• Site Plan - this is not required to be to scale. The Site Plan can be prepared by the owner/applicant and must include:
  • The location and dimensions of the required parking spaces and surfacing of parking areas. One Parking Space is required for every Guest Room or Bedroom;
  • Location of all buildings or structures on the land including decks, patios, and docks;
  • Septic and well locations if applicable, and;
  • Location of municipally owned shore road allowance or any other publicly owned lands, hydro easements and right of ways if applicable.

• Floor Plan – this can be prepared by the owner/applicant  and must include each level of the Short-Term Rental with all rooms labelled.
• A Plan for Fire Safety – setting out a layout of the interior of the Short-Term Rental with locations for all smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and exits. Please note how the Short-Term Rental is heated.
• A photo of both the front and rear of the Short-Term Rental.
• Proof of System Maintenance – Provide either:
  • Sewage System Installation Report/Use Permit issued by Health Unit of Municipality OR a report from a qualified designer or Engineer.
  • If you cannot find your sewage system permit or installation report, you can complete an Application for Copy of Septic System and or Installation Report.  Please take note:  there is a fee for this report - please contact the Septic Inspector for this information.  Both the fee and the Application are to be sent in to the Septic Inspector.  Once the fee and the Application is received, the Septic Inspector will then perform a search of the Township records to see if there is a copy of this record.  
  • Please Note:  Any paperwork from WSP is not the documentation required for this section.  The WSP reinspection program only identified if your septic system was in working order. 

Section H – Proof Of Ownership Attachment Required With Application:

• Proof of Ownership (Tax Bill).
• If a corporation, either articles of incorporation or other incorporating documents, duly certified by the proper government official or department of the Province of Ontario or the Government of Canada and a certified copy of an annual return which contains a current list of all shareholders of the corporation.
• Please see Other helpful forms below - Along with your proof of ownership, a Residential or Corporate Owner Declaration must accompany the proof of ownership.

Section I – Municipally Owned Shore Road Allowance: 

Where a building is situated on a municipally owned shore road allowance or any other publicly owned lands:

Attach a copy of the License of Occupation issued by the Municipality.

OR

The owner has applied for a Licence of Occupation and submitted the applicable fees associated with the Licence of Occupation at the time of applying for the Short-Term Rental Licence.

AND

The owner has applied to purchase their Shore Road Allowance and paid the applicable fees associated with the Purchase at the time of applying for the Short-Term Rental Licence.

Clarification – If the building/structure in which the Short-Term Rental is being operated from sits on the Township's shore road allowance, the owner must apply for a Licence of Occupation and pay the fees associated with this application and they must also apply to purchase their shore road allowance and pay the fees associated with this application at the time of applying for the Short-Term Rental Licence.

Section J – Attestation Form:

The Attestation Form is to be completed and submitted by the owner of the Short-Term Rental premises.

 Documents that are to be posted at the Short-Term Rental

The following information shall be posted in a prominent place in the interior of each Short-Term Rental, in a manner that is visible to Guests or Renters and made available for inspection:

• Copy of the current Licence.
• Premises address (and phone number if applicable).
• Type of access to the Premises, where one of the following must be checked:
  • Year-round maintained public road
  • Seasonally maintained public road
  • Private road / Right-of-way
  • Water access  - If the type of access to the Premises is not a year-round maintained public road, the following Emergency Services Statement must be posted:

"Due to this Short-Term Rental Premises not being accessible by a year-round maintained public road, emergency response times may be delayed to this location."

• The name and contact information of the Licencee.
• The name and contact information of the Responsible Person for Emergency and By-law concerns.
• Inspection results as per Section 6.3 of the By-law
• Copy of the approved Site Plan and approved Floor Plan associated with the Licence with Parking Spaces and waste storage details.
• A copy of the Renter’s Code of Conduct and Licencee Code of Conduct
• Copy of the current Noise By-law
• Copy of the current Burning By-law

Sign to be posted on site:

A Short-Term Rental Sign shall be displayed to identify a Short-Term Rental property and shall be located near the vicinity of the 911 address sign and meet the following criteria:

1. The sign shall have a maximum area of 0.2m² (2.15 sq. ft.) and a maximum height of 1.5m (5ft) above adjacent ground level.
2. The Short-Term Rental Sign must contain the following information:

• the 911 address of the property
• current Short-Term Rental Licence Number located in the top right corner of the sign, and
• the following wording “for Short-Term Rental concerns related to this property, please call (responsible person’s name and phone number).”

Please remember

Short Term Rental operators can be held accountable for the actions of their guests. If a Municipal By-law is broken, By-law fines can be charged to both the individuals who violated the regulation. By-Law fines and inspection fees can be charged to the property owner.

Before submitting an application, it is recommended that Short Term Rental owners or operators recognize other applicable regulations that may impact their property. For example, your Short- Term Rental must comply with other applicable regulations such as the Building Code Act, Fire Protection and Prevention Act, Electricity Act and it must have proper insurance as well as water and septic capabilities.

 After your application has been submitted

Application Review:

By-law, Fire, Septic, and Building Department staff will be reviewing the information submitted to confirm compliance. Should the application be missing information or not conform to a regulation or 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.

Township Inspections:

Once the application and all documentation is received, the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer for Short-Term Rentals may request an onsite inspection. All Short-Term Rentals are to contain functioning smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and accessible exits, and the Short-Term Rental premises must match the site plan/floor plan that was submitted.

Approval:

Once the licence is issued, the Licencee will be responsible for the maintenance of Monthly Fire Extinguisher Inspections, Maintenance Records and Tests for all Smoke and CO Alarms, the Guest Register, and the Renters Code of Conduct.

Short Term Rental Complaints Hotline

• Complaints Hotline Link

• Complaints Hotline Phone Number: 705-809-5648

Short-Term Rental Complaints

One of the common concerns received regarding Short-Term Rentals is that complainants did not know how to reach their neighbour that was operating a Short-Term Rental.  Like most Municipalities, the Township of Minden Hills implemented a “Responsible Person” provision.

As per the Short-Term Rental By-law 24-31, Sections 5.15 states:

A Short-Term Rental Sign shall be displayed to identify a Short-Term Rental property and shall be located near the vicinity of the 911 address sign and meet the following criteria:

1. The sign shall have a maximum area of 0.2m² (2.15 sq. ft.) and a maximum height of 1.5m (5ft) above adjacent ground level.
2. The Short-Term Rental Sign must contain the following information:
   1. the 911 address of the property
   2. current Short-Term Rental Licence Number located in the top right corner of the sign, and
   3. The following wording “for Short-Term Rental concerns related to this property, please call (responsible person’s name and phone number here).”

• An Owner, Owner’s Agent, or Responsible Person shall respond within sixty (60) minutes to an emergency that involves, but is not limited to, a risk to health, safety or damage to property, or contravention of any applicable municipal By-law.
• An Owner, Owner’s Agent, or Responsible Person will attend the Short-term Rental Premises within twenty-four (24) hours of being notified of the occurrence as per 5.9 of this By-law.

As a first step, neighbourly communications are always encouraged in resolving misunderstandings and disagreements before calling authorities (such as By-law and OPP). Concerned neighbours are encouraged to call the Responsible Person and report their concerns.  If a complaint has been filed with the Responsible Person and no action is undertaken, please forward your Short-Term Rental complaint form to Municipal Law Enforcement Officer.

Township enforcement staff will investigate matters during our enforcement coverage hours. After hours, please contact the OPP non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122 for assistance with urgent disturbances of the peace or other policing matters.

Fire Pit and Open-Air Burns

Bonfires can be an important part of the cottage experience but remember that they can also be dangerous. Minden Hills Fire Department implements a Burn Ban if the weather conditions make fires unsafe. Be sure to visit the Fire Department webpage to view the current Burn Ban status and view other important rules and regulation before doing any open air burning.

Important things to remember:

• The material is to be burned in a single pile that is less than two (2) meters in diameter and less than two (2) meters high.
• Fire must be at least three (3) meters from combustible materials, property line, buildings, fences, trees, and roadway.
• Burning is only allowed during the hours of 7:00 p.m.- 7:00 a.m.
• The fire must be completely extinguished (cool to the touch) before the burn site is vacated.
• Only the burning of wood or by-products of wood is permitted; no garbage, waste materials, shingles, tar, plastics or other foreign or restricted materials.
• A responsible person is always available and in attendance until the fire is completely extinguished.
• Fire pits must not be under any vegetation such as trees or overhangs like porches.
• Smoke cannot disrupt people in neighbouring properties.
• Water must be readily available to extinguish the fire.

Waste and Recycling

Minden Hills is beautiful – and we want to keep it that way. Proper disposal of garbage and recyclables is essential to keeping our community and waterways clean.

Always:

• Ensure garbage is disposed of in clear bags.
• Separate fiber and container recyclables.
• Ensure waste is not disposed of in waterways such as lakes or rivers.
• Ensure waste is not disposed of along roadsides.

Visit the Garbage and Recycling website and use the Wizard to learn how and where to dispose of specific waste items.

Give your Short-Term Renters a Cottage Kit as a Welcome Gift!

Property owners can make waste disposal easy for their guests by purchasing a Cottage Kit. Each Cottage Kit contains a one-time waste disposal card as well as a Waste Management Guide.

Visit the Waste and Recycling User Fee page for pricing of Cottage Kits.

Parking

For everyone’s safety, roadways and road access must be kept clear to ensure residents, visitors and emergency vehicles have access to properties.

Parking should occur entirely on the property that you are visiting. Ensure vehicles are parked legally and are parked on the correct property.

Noise/Fireworks

Municipal By-Law Enforcement can respond to noise complaints along with local Police Service.

Please be sure that you are respecting your neighbours by following the noise By-Law:

General Noise Regulations

(2.1) No person shall make, cause or permit to be made, either on a highway or elsewhere in the Municipality, any unnecessary noise or unnecessary sounds which disturbs the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of any person or is the result of any activities described in Schedule "A" and that is audible to:

(a) a person in a premises or vehicle other than the premises or vehicle from which the noise is originating; or

(b) a person in a residence other than the residence from which the noise is originating.

(2.2) No person shall set off any Fireworks on any public street or roadway within the Township of Minden Hills at any time.

(2.3) Consumer fireworks within the geographical Township of Minden Hills do not require a permit and are only permitted on the following:

(a) New Years Eve - between dusk and 1 a.m.

(b) Canada Day - between dusk and 11 p.m. the weekend prior to Canada Day, the weekend directly following Canada Day or on the day of Canada Day.

(c) Victoria Day and Labour Day - between dusk and 11 p.m. on the weekend in which the holiday falls.

(2.4) Despite Subsection 2.3, no person shall set off any Fireworks when there is a Fire Ban in effect or when open air burning is prohibited.

Please note: there are no “time” limitations in regard to noise; meaning, a noise complaint can be filed at any time of day or night.

If you are bringing your pet along to your Short-Term Rental property, please ensure that they are under your care and control at all times, and that they do not wander onto neighbouring properties. 

The Property Standards By-law focuses on the maintenance and occupancy of property in the Municipality. 

Visit the Minden Hills website at https://www.mindenhills.ca/bylaw-enforcement/ to view the Property Standards By-law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to consent to disclosure of personal information to get a licence?

A: Yes, the Township is using a third-party administrator for the Short-Term Rental Licencing Program who requires access to all submitted materials. Applicants must consent to the disclosure of information to have their application processed and cannot opt-out of this requirement.

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Q: Is my information secure?

A: Information will be kept on servers located in Canada with privacy protocols in place to keep information secure. The third-party administrator has agreements in place to ensure that Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act is complied with.

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Q: How will my information be used?

A: Disclosed information will only be used to administer and enforce the Short-Term Rental Licencing Program. Your information will not be used for any other purpose.

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Q: Why is my information being posted online?

A: The Township will be posting the locations of licenced short-term rentals, the licence number, and the contact information for the responsible person. This will allow individuals to reach out with concerns or active issues which assists with the protection of health, safety and well-being of persons.

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Q: How long will my information be kept?

A: Personal information must be kept for a minimum of three (3) years per the Records Retention By-law. After such time, the information will be destroyed.

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Q: How long do I need to keep the information in my Guest Registry?

A: Entries in the Guest Registry must be kept for three (3) years.

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Q: What do I do with the Guest Registry?

A: The Guest Registry should be readily available should Fire/Licensing/Enforcement staff request the documents.

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Q: What information will be posted online?

A: The Township will post the location of each Short-Term Rental property on a map, along with the address, status of licence, licence number, occupancy limit, number of licenced bedrooms, and the name and contact information of the responsible person. The name and contact information of the owner will not be posted online unless that person is also the Responsible Person.

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Q: What is involved in getting a Short-Term Rental Licence?

A:

• Application & Payment
• Short-Term Rental Premises inspection; and
• Premises documents inspection including licence, codes of conduct and by-laws.

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Q: How long will it take to be approved?

A: Expected timeline to receive a licence is 3 to 6 weeks, but this time may vary based on compliance history, document review, volume of applications and enforcement.

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Q:  Do all properties qualify for a Short-Term Rental Licence?

A:  Yes, there are currently no restrictions.

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Q: Is there a maximum number of Short-Term Rental licences allowed by one person or entity?

A: No.

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Q:  In the application, what is a “Shore Road Allowance” referring to?

A:  An Original Shore Road Allowance is a 66 foot wide road allowance around the edges of most lakes, measured back from the shore of the lake across the width of the entirety of each waterfront property.  Any structures that site on the “Shore Road Allowance” that is not owned by the owner will result in the requirement for an owner to enter into a Licence of Occupation with the Township and as well, apply to purchase their Shore Road Allowance prior to a STR Licence being granted. Fees associated with the Licence of Occupation and purchase of the Shore Road Allowance will be posted shortly.

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Q: Can a renter’s violation be held against the Short-Term Rental owner?

A: Yes, if a violation is confirmed, it will be applied against the owner’s licence.

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Q:  Why a licensing program?

A: A licensing program:

• protects the character, values and personal enjoyment of neighbourhoods, while ensuring that licensed short-term rentals provide a safe and healthy space for renters to enjoy.
• maintains a balance between supporting short-term rental activity to promote economic development, while placing limits on the scope of activity to preserve the character of local communities.
• benefits the community through the assurance of quality and safe short-term rental accommodations as well as compatibility with the surrounding neighbourhood community.
• helps to ensure that community neighbourhoods are not turned into tourist areas to the detriment of residents and their enjoyment of their property.
• complements zoning regulations and enhances by-law enforcement efforts to address short-term rental concerns.
• holds the owners directly accountable and responsible for the operation of their business.
• is intended to be funded by short-term rental operators and not the taxpayer.
• promotes fairness in the short-term rental market, requiring licencees to maintain rental health and safety standards.

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Q:  What are the key reasons for licencing Short-Term Rentals?

A: 

• A licence allows for the Municipality to inspect the short-term rental property and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
• A licence holds the owner accountable, whereas bylaws are enforced against the transient perpetrator i.e. the renter.
• Under a licence system, penalties levied against the owner may be added to that person’s tax bill, and any challenges to penalties are heard by an appeals Committee, not the court system.
• Neighbouring Municipalities have adopted the License approach, including Dysart et al, Algonquin Highlands and Highlands East.

Things You Should Know About Short-Term Rentals

1. Short-Term Rentals must be registered in the Township of Minden Hills.
2. When booking a short-term rental in Minden Hills, check to make sure that the Townships issued registration number (in the format: STR-0000-XXXXXX) is included in the listing or advertisement. 
3. Short-Term Rentals can only be in a dwelling unit.
4. Short-Term rentals cannot be in a Sleeping Cabin or a Bunkie.
5. People who operate Short-Term Rentals shall not discriminate people based on race, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, or disability - including a person accompanied by a service animal.
6. Your host must provide you with the contact information of a Responsible Person available during your rental period.
7. You should receive a diagram of all exits from the building where your Short-Term Rental is located, along with a floor plan of where the approved sleeping areas are (2 people per room only).
8. Be a good neighbour and respect rules around noise, pets, parking, garbage, and recycling. Ask your host for more information about Minden Hills By-laws.

 Other Helpful Forms

• Guest Register - contact our office for a Guest Register option
• Renters Code of Conduct
• Licensee Code of Conduct
• Residential Owner Declaration
• Corporate Owner Declaration
• Monthly Inspection of Fire Extinguishers - contact our office for an inspection form option
• Fire and Emergency Services - Smoke and CO Alarm Maintenance Checklist - contact our office for a checklist option
• Change of Information Request for Responsible Person