By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Property owners in Highlands East now have more clarity on how the municipality plans to enforce its short-term rental rules, following changes approved by council.
Council signed off on a revised shortterm rental (STR) licensing bylaw during the Sept 8 regular meeting of council. The updated file removes administrative steps and provides further details about how operators who deliberately break the rules could face serious penalties.
The tweaks follow months of internal review after councillors requested further clarification during an August meeting. Presenting the finalized report, STR licensing clerk and enforcement officer, Stacey Brown, explained the amendments address gaps in the bylaw and remove procedures that staff considered unnecessary.
“The proposed amendments are intended to address identified gaps and improve the overall clarity, completeness, and effectiveness of the bylaw,” Brown told council.
Council had spent much of the discussion on revised wording in Sections 13.1 and 13.2. Drafted in consultation with municipal bylaw enforcement, the sections outline potential liability for fines under the Provincial Offences Act.
While the financial penalties can be steep, Brown assured council they aren’t meant to be handed out routinely. Instead, they would be used only in exceptional cases after other compliance and enforcement measures have been exhausted.
According to the staff document, operators can face fines of up to $50,000 on first offence, and no more than $100,000 on a second offence and each subsequent offence thereafter.
“Any fine pursuant to this provision would be at the discretion of the provincial court and would only be considered in exponential circumstances where all available compliance and enforcement measures have been exhausted,” Brown said.
She said that such circumstances would likely involve “significant safety concerns or prolonged and deliberate noncompliance.”
Council supported the enforcement measures, though deputy mayor Cecil Ryall asked that staff make it clear in the bylaw about how and when penalties can escalate. If the township decides to take a STR operator who is non-compliant to court, Ryall said, having the enforcement process clearly explained in plain language would give residents fair warning.
“Is it possible to give a little more clarity on what would trigger something like that?” the deputy mayor asked. “The way you explained it here, makes absolute sense, but I would like to see it in the document somewhere that lets people know if you’re not going to pursue this… we’re going to have to take it to court and they’re going to decide.”
Brown agreed to check in with the enforcement team about drafting publicfacing guidance explaining how the escalation process works.
The township is also streamlining the licence application process by eliminating Section 8.1(b). Previously, the clause required municipal staff to hold up an application until they could physically verify that any outstanding property repairs or modifications had been completed.
Staff recommended removing the rule after deeming it redundant. Brown explained staff already work directly with property owners to address issues as they arise.
“In practice, if an issue is brought to staff’s attention regarding a particular property, staff will work collaboratively with the property owner to address and resolve the matter,” Brown said. “If the property owner refuses to take corrective action or is unwilling to address the issue within a reasonable time frame, staff already have the authority to revoke the licence.”
The recommendation to adopt the report and formally enact the amended bylaw passed unanimously, moved by Coun. Cam McKenzie and seconded by Coun. Ruth Strong.
