The tourist-friendly beach towns of Grand Bend, Port Franks and Ipperwash, Ont., are looking to clamp down on Airbnb and other online short-term rental services that some believe are driving up real estate prices and altering the very fabric of their communities.
Councillors with the Municipality of Lambton Shores, which presides over all three lakefront towns, are voting on a proposed bylaw Tuesday that seeks to restrict short-term rentals with licensing, occupancy limits and a 24/7 complaints hotline, paid for through licensing fees, for locals concerned about noise, garbage and large gatherings.
The proposal comes after months of public consultation, in which officials canvassed residents and landlords by mail, online surveys and virtual meetings.
According to the findings, while most people felt short-term rentals were an important economic driver in the sense that they brought business into town, they were also concerned with the excessive noise, large gatherings, as well as garbage and septic issues that come with it.