The province’s Superior Court has quashed an appeal of Tiny Township’s short-term-rental (STR) accommodation licensing bylaw.
In dismissing the appeal filed by the Tiny Township Association of Responsible STR Owners, Ontario Superior Court Justice Howard Leibovich wrote that “the regulations and restrictions have been implemented lawfully and properly by the Township based upon detailed investigation of the issues with community feedback.
In his 22-page decision, Leibovich went on to note that many of the appellants’ complaints focused on how the bylaw changed the way they rented their properties.
“Of course they do, that is part of the aim of the bylaws,” Leibovich said. “Owners of STRs are now being regulated and before they were not. It follows that due to the new regulations that STR owners are subject to restrictions, including restrictions relating to the manner in which they may generate income from their property.”
It all began in 2022 when the township embarked on a lengthy process to create a new set of rules and regulations for STR operators to follow with an aim to decrease the number of STR-related complaints in Tiny.
Tiny Mayor David Evans said the bylaw has been instrumental in curbing the number of complaints fielded by the municipality’s bylaw department with the number of complaints continuing to drop in 2024/25.
“We’re grateful that the courts recognize that our STR bylaw provides for the safety of renters and visitors to the township,” Evans said. “It also provides a reasonable solution for residents to make additional income by renting their properties for others to enjoy the beauty of Tiny.”
While the local operators’ group couldn’t be reached for comment by press-time, it notes on its website that “Tiny Township wants to ban cottage rentals.”
It goes on to note that the bylaw “effectively eliminates the ability for most cottage owners to offer their properties for others to enjoy. This move departs from tradition and looks to limit access to what has historically been a vacation area.”
But the township said in a release that the court decision confirms that “local municipalities have the legal right to implement a program to regulate and licence STR operations which is good news for all municipalities in Ontario struggling with this same issue.
Tiny CAO Robert Lamb said that the township hopes this decision ends this chapter of the STR issue in the township and allows Tiny’s bylaw team to fully enforce and lay charges (if warranted) against any STR operator who doesn’t want to follow the rules.
“We currently have laid over 115 charges which have been held up in the courts for over a year pending the outcome of this decision, and those can now proceed.”
To read the full legal decision, click here.
