Bracebridge moves toward stronger enforcement of short-term rental rules

General Committee approved key amendments to its Short-Term Rental Accommodation By-law

Bracebridge General Committee approved amendments to the Town's Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) Licensing By-law at its November 3, 2026, meeting.

The amendments are intended to strengthen enforcement as the Town prepares to introduce its Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS), which will allow administrative penalties to be used to address by-law violations.

According to a report by Manager of By-law Enforcement, Allison Kreuger, the Town has received 145 STRA licence applications, with 61 approved, including 52 currently active licences. Another 22 applications have been denied, while 43 remain pending or under review.

The report also identifies approximately 303 Airbnb listings and 100 VRBO listings in the Bracebridge area, although some properties may appear on both platforms.

Among the approved amendments are a prohibition on advertising short-term rentals without a valid licence, an increase in required liability insurance from $2 million to $5 million, and new requirements concerning shore road allowances.

The Town has received 27 STRA-related complaints so far in 2026.

During discussions, councillors questioned whether licensing compliance and enforcement remain concerns, including whether rental platforms, such as Airbnb, could require operators to display licence information. Staff indicated that such arrangements are not currently in place but could be explored.

Councillor, Archie Buie, described short-term rentals as "a hot issue and difficult to enforce."

"Unless we get more enforcement, there will always be people avoiding and dragging their feet," Buie said.

He also raised concerns about the number of potentially unlicensed properties and given the limited number of licenses allowed in the Town, and whether deadlines should be established for operators covered by grandfathering provisions.

Staff agreed that operators have had ample time – 2 years - to pursue licensing since the Town introduced its requirements.

"As we move into 2027, we will be moving to a more proactive enforcement," Kreuger said.

Buie encouraged staff to emphasize deadlines and enforcement consequences, so operators understand "what they're risking if they continue to operate illegally in the Town of Bracebridge."

Mayor, Rick Maloney, also emphasized the importance of reviewing the by-law in 2027, noting that he continues to receive public complaints about short-term rentals. He encouraged community engagement and reporting on the positive and negative impacts of the regulations.

Staff explained that they want to implement and evaluate the new enforcement measures before undertaking a review.

The Town Clerk noted that AMPS will eventually support enforcement across multiple municipal by-laws, with short-term rentals serving as the first application. Councillors were also encouraged to forward complaints to By-law Enforcement so they can be documented and tracked.

The committee carried the recommendations, including amendments to the Town's Delegation of Authority By-law to support administration of the new penalty system.