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Short-Term Accommodations

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Looking to apply for your Short-Term Accommodation Business License? Visit https://www.sarnia.ca/short-term-accommodations/ and follow the steps below.

Step 1: Download the application form and accompanying guide for a Short Term Accommodation Business License.

Step 2: Fill in the form, provide payment for the license application, and submit the required information for review.

Step 3: The application form will be reviewed and staff will contact you with any questions, points of clarity and to arrange a fire inspection.

NOTE: Should the property and/or operation not meet the requirements of the Bed & Breakfast Zoning Standards, applicants will be required to make revisions and/or seek relief through a Planning Act application.

Step 4: Once compliance has been achieved with the requirements and the fire inspection has been passed, Customer Service will issue the Short Term Accommodation Business Licence.

Step 5: Register for the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT), by completing the form at https://www.sarnia.ca/municipal-accommodation-tax-mat/.

Displaying Your License in a place visible from, or as near as possible to, the main entrance of the short-term accommodation.

In accordance with Bill 189 and Ontario Regulation 149/20, Notices of Decisions for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments given on or after February 26, 2020 and before April 15, 2020 are deemed not to have been completed.

Given that the Notices of the Decision for the passing of Zoning Amendment By-law 26 of 2020 was given during this period, the City of Sarnia is now re-issuing the following Notice in accordance with Ontario Regulation 278/20. The last day of appeal for the zoning changes is July 15, 2020.

Emergency Declaration

Impact on Appeal Timelines:

With the province of Ontario issuing an emergency declaration on March 17, 2020, the time for the filing of appeals against the Short-Term Accommodation standards has been temporarily suspended.

What this means is that the original deadline to file an appeal, which was Wednesday April 1, 2020, has now been extended to a date that can only be determined when the emergency order is lifted by the province.

The calculation for the new date is based on the number of days that were impacted by the emergency order. In this case, there were 15 days that were impacted by the emergency order - from March 17, 2020 to April 1, 2020.

As such, the new final date for other parties to register an appeal against the Short-Term Accommodation standards will be 15 days after the day the emergency order is lifted by the province.

We will update this site after the Emergency Order is lifted.

Stay safe – stay home.

Please note that all public information sessions have been cancelled.

The public information sessions originally planned for Thursday, March 19th and Tuesday, March 24th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. have been cancelled until further notice, as part of the coordinated municipal and County response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please view the media release for further information.

Although the information sessions have been cancelled, staff are available to speak to you if you have any questions. Please call 519-332-0330 extension 3344 or e-mail planning@sarnia.ca to schedule a teleconference.

The City has approved amendments to the Zoning By-law to replace existing bed and breakfast establishment regulations with new regulations for short-term rental accommodations. This includes many of the listings on 'Airbnb' and 'homeaway' where rooms or an entire dwelling are made available for rent for less than 30 days.

The following regulations were approved for short-term accommodations in the City's Zoning By-law:

1.New definition for Short-term Rental

"Short-term Rental” means all or part of a dwelling unit that is used to provide sleeping accommodations for any rental period that is less than 30 consecutive days."

2. Guest Rooms

A maximum of three guest rooms may be made available for Short-Term Rental accommodations.

3. Parking

A minimum of one parking space shall be provided for every guest room in a Short-Term Rental, in addition to the minimum parking requirements for the dwelling unit.

4. Operator

Short-term accommodations shall only be operated by the principal resident of the dwelling. However, they are allowed in dwellings that are not prorated by the principal resident of the property, if the STA was operating prior to January 1, 2020 and if a licence is issued prior to July 1, 2020.

The approved by-laws are available to view in the "Document Library" section of this page.

Looking to apply for your Short-Term Accommodation Business License? Visit https://www.sarnia.ca/short-term-accommodations/ and follow the steps below.

Step 1: Download the application form and accompanying guide for a Short Term Accommodation Business License.

Step 2: Fill in the form, provide payment for the license application, and submit the required information for review.

Step 3: The application form will be reviewed and staff will contact you with any questions, points of clarity and to arrange a fire inspection.

NOTE: Should the property and/or operation not meet the requirements of the Bed & Breakfast Zoning Standards, applicants will be required to make revisions and/or seek relief through a Planning Act application.

Step 4: Once compliance has been achieved with the requirements and the fire inspection has been passed, Customer Service will issue the Short Term Accommodation Business Licence.

Step 5: Register for the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT), by completing the form at https://www.sarnia.ca/municipal-accommodation-tax-mat/.

Displaying Your License in a place visible from, or as near as possible to, the main entrance of the short-term accommodation.

In accordance with Bill 189 and Ontario Regulation 149/20, Notices of Decisions for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments given on or after February 26, 2020 and before April 15, 2020 are deemed not to have been completed.

Given that the Notices of the Decision for the passing of Zoning Amendment By-law 26 of 2020 was given during this period, the City of Sarnia is now re-issuing the following Notice in accordance with Ontario Regulation 278/20. The last day of appeal for the zoning changes is July 15, 2020.

Emergency Declaration

Impact on Appeal Timelines:

With the province of Ontario issuing an emergency declaration on March 17, 2020, the time for the filing of appeals against the Short-Term Accommodation standards has been temporarily suspended.

What this means is that the original deadline to file an appeal, which was Wednesday April 1, 2020, has now been extended to a date that can only be determined when the emergency order is lifted by the province.

The calculation for the new date is based on the number of days that were impacted by the emergency order. In this case, there were 15 days that were impacted by the emergency order - from March 17, 2020 to April 1, 2020.

As such, the new final date for other parties to register an appeal against the Short-Term Accommodation standards will be 15 days after the day the emergency order is lifted by the province.

We will update this site after the Emergency Order is lifted.

Stay safe – stay home.

Please note that all public information sessions have been cancelled.

The public information sessions originally planned for Thursday, March 19th and Tuesday, March 24th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. have been cancelled until further notice, as part of the coordinated municipal and County response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please view the media release for further information.

Although the information sessions have been cancelled, staff are available to speak to you if you have any questions. Please call 519-332-0330 extension 3344 or e-mail planning@sarnia.ca to schedule a teleconference.

The City has approved amendments to the Zoning By-law to replace existing bed and breakfast establishment regulations with new regulations for short-term rental accommodations. This includes many of the listings on 'Airbnb' and 'homeaway' where rooms or an entire dwelling are made available for rent for less than 30 days.

The following regulations were approved for short-term accommodations in the City's Zoning By-law:

1.New definition for Short-term Rental

"Short-term Rental” means all or part of a dwelling unit that is used to provide sleeping accommodations for any rental period that is less than 30 consecutive days."

2. Guest Rooms

A maximum of three guest rooms may be made available for Short-Term Rental accommodations.

3. Parking

A minimum of one parking space shall be provided for every guest room in a Short-Term Rental, in addition to the minimum parking requirements for the dwelling unit.

4. Operator

Short-term accommodations shall only be operated by the principal resident of the dwelling. However, they are allowed in dwellings that are not prorated by the principal resident of the property, if the STA was operating prior to January 1, 2020 and if a licence is issued prior to July 1, 2020.

The approved by-laws are available to view in the "Document Library" section of this page.

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Should the City regulate short-term rentals?

Yes
41%
No
58%
Unsure
2%
Total Votes : 64