For cottagers in Lake of Bays, getting in touch with short-term rental (STR) operators just got easier. In late June, the township introduced a short-term rental (STR) map on its website. The interactive map includes the address, number of beds, and an emergency contact with an associated phone number. All of the properties on the map are licensed under Lake of Bays’ STR bylaw.
“We think it’s going to be a good tool for the general public,” says Stephen Watson, the township’s director of building and bylaw services. “If someone wants to rent, they can make sure it’s properly licensed.”
While a spreadsheet previously existed with all of this information, this new format is more user-friendly for renters and neighbours to navigate. The township’s broader STR bylaw mandates rental property owners make basic information about their properties available to the public.
Watson says that if property owners are concerned about having their contact information publicly available, they can hire a third-party to act as the emergency contact. “It’s no different than any other business, their contact number would be available online,” he says.
Lake of Bays has been ramping up STR regulations since the original bylaw was enacted in 2021. In May, the township’s council voted to implement a municipal accommodation tax, which will see STRs taxed at four per cent.
The new interactive map is one way the township is working towards making STR regulations more accessible for the public, and to provide renters with clear information about potential rentals.
“If you look up a property and it’s not on the map, you can let the township know,” says Watson.
All STRs in Lake of Bays are required to have a licence so the township can monitor STRs and provide enforcement for regulatory violations.
Watson says that the ultimate goal of the web map was to provide more information to renters and residents wishing to contact neighbouring STR property owners. “We hope this will make everybody’s lives easier.”
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