Less than a week before Burlington’s short-term rental regulations take effect, the city awaits news on a federal funding application to pay for enforcement.
Local short-term rental operators, who use online platforms like Airbnb, could apply for a required licence as of Thursday, April 24, but the city had not yet hired new staff to enforce the bylaw that comes into effect May 1.
Communications staff said education and enforcement for the new bylaw will be managed through bylaw enforcement’s existing operating budget.
The city anticipates Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada will formally announce details of successful funding applications to its Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund after the April 28 federal election.
City councillors approved the new bylaw in a Jan. 13 special council meeting, in order to meet a Jan. 24 deadline for the federal funding application.
But city and federal staff won’t say yet if the application was successful.
A staff report earlier this year stated a $300 licence fee would bring up to $150,000 a year to pay administration costs, but would not cover enforcement costs.
Staff said it needed the federal grant to fund two full-time bylaw officers dedicated to short-term rental enforcement.
The fund provides grants to municipalities of up to $4.8-million over three years, to support local enforcement of short-term rental restrictions, in hopes of making more long-term housing available.
A department spokesperson said applications received by Jan. 24 were reviewed and decisions communicated directly to applicants by March 3.
Details on the new bylaw, regulations and requirement for a licence, and the online application form, is available on the city’s website.
Short-term accommodations will be allowed to be rented for a maximum of 28 consecutive days, and a total of six months per year.
According to the city’s website, the bylaw is intended to address issues of housing affordability, neighbourhood nuisances such as noise, garbage and parking, and safety, including maintenance and compliance with building and fire codes.
Alex Howell, Airbnb Canada policy lead, questioned the goal of increasing housing availability.
Howell said Statistics Canada reported the number of Burlington short-term rentals that could potentially become long-term dwellings, compared to the available housing supply, is just 0.09% — less than the national average.
According to the Statistics Canada data from 2021, there were 346 short-term rental units in Burlington, including 67 potential long-term dwelling units.