Short-Term Rental Bylaw survey

1.  

Which of the following applies to you? (check all that apply)

2.  

Do you agree with regulating short-term rental properties through licensing?

3.  

What effects do you expect licensing short-term rentals to have? (check all that apply)

4.  

What challenges with short-term rentals have you seen in Kitchener, if any? (check all that apply)

5.  

The City of Kitchener’s definition of a business includes:

• trades and occupations;
• exhibitions, concerts, festivals, and other organized public amusement held for profit or otherwise;
• the sale or hire of goods or services on an intermittent or one-time basis, and the activities of a transient trader; and
• the display of samples, patterns, or specimens of goods for the purpose of sale or hire.

Any business wholly or partly carried on within the City of Kitchener, even if the business is being carried on from a location outside of the City of Kitchener, is included in this definition.

In your opinion, do short-term rentals meet the definition of a business as described above?

6.  

Short-term rentals may affect long-term housing availability.

As a result, some municipalities only permit short-term rentals in an owner’s principal residence. The term principal residence refers to a property that a homeowner maintains as their primary dwelling. This approach means owners/operators cannot legally operate more than one short-term rental.

Do you think Kitchener should limit short-term rentals to an owner’s principal residence?

7.  

Some municipalities limit the number of consecutive days a unit can be rented. This is so they can be distinguished from long-term rentals.

Do you think Kitchener should have a cap on the number of consecutive days a unit can be rented?

8.  

Some municipalities restrict the number of guests allowed in a short-term rental to only two people per legal bedroom. This is to ensure health and safety standards are met.

Do you think Kitchener should adopt a similar restriction?  

9.  

The Municipal Act gives the authority to municipalities to levy a tax on transient accommodation (often referred to as a “hotel tax”). Municipalities can decide whether or not to implement a hotel tax. They can also determine:

• the types of transient accommodation to which the tax applies
• the rate that is charged
• other details about the tax

Kitchener currently has a Municipal Accommodation Tax By-law, but short-term rentals are not included.

Do you think Kitchener should apply a hotel tax to short-term rentals?

10.  

Municipalities may also consider licensing the platforms that enable short-term rentals, like AirBnb or VRBO. This is to help with enforcement and support future policy development.

Do you think Kitchener should explore this option?