As of January 6, 2025, the new Short-Term Accommodation Licensing By-law 2024-078 is in effect. To operate a short-term accommodation ("STA") in the Town of Collingwood, you must first apply for and obtain a licence from the Town. Operating without a licence may result in charges and/or an issuance of a penalty notice.
Explore the resources below to learn about the application process, licensing requirements, and how this initiative supports a vibrant and responsible community. Together, we can make Collingwood a thriving home for residents and a welcoming destination for visitors!
Municipal Accommodation Tax
Effective March 1, 2025, accommodators are required to charge the Municipal Accommodation Tax of 4% (plus HST) on the room rate for stays 28 days or less. For more information, please visit the Municipal Accommodation Tax page.
Types of Short-Term Accommodation Licences Available
Must be located in a single detached dwelling
The single detached dwelling must be the Licensee’s principal residence (i.e., where they primarily reside and conduct their daily affairs)
The Licensee may be the property owner or a long-term tenant (with the owner’s written authorization)
At least one bedroom in the single detached dwelling must be for the Licensee
A maximum of two renters per guest room, with up to three guest rooms available for rent
The Licensee must be present on-site between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. during the rental period
Licence fee: $1,250 (Note: an initial payment of $500 is due at the time of application submission. The remaining balance must be paid before your licence is issued)
Must be located in a single detached dwelling
The single detached dwelling must be the Licensee’s principal residence (i.e., where they primarily reside and conduct their daily affairs)
The Licensee may be the property owner or a long-term tenant (with the owner’s written authorization)
The maximum occupancy is limited to two persons per approved guest room, with an overall maximum limit of eight persons
The Licensee is not required to be on site during the rental period
Licence fee: $2,250 (Note: an initial payment of $500 is due at the time of application submission. The remaining balance must be paid before your licence is issued)
Must be located in an attached or detached additional residential unit on the same lot as a single detached dwelling
The single detached dwelling must be the Licensee’s principal residence (i.e., where they primarily reside and conduct their daily affairs)
The Licensee must be the property owner
The maximum occupancy is limited to two persons per approved guest room, with an overall maximum limit of eight persons
The Licensee may be on-site in the single detached dwelling during the rental period
Licence fee: $2,500 (Note: an initial payment of $500 is due at the time of application submission. The remaining balance must be paid before your licence is issued)
Application Process
Ready to apply for your Short-Term Accommodation Licence? Follow the steps below to ensure your application is complete and complies with all requirements:
Before starting your application, confirm you meet the eligibility requirements for a Short-Term Accommodation Licence. Please carefully review the following By-laws and documents to ensure your eligibility:
Zoning By-law 2010-040 - Sections "4.25 Short-Term Accommodation", "4.39 Home Occupation" and "5.0 Parking and Loading"
Note: All building permits must be closed, and any completed new construction undertaken without a permit may require obtaining a building permit. For more information, please contact the Town’s Building Services Division at building@collingwood.ca.
Please review the STA Licence Application Checklist to ensure you have all the necessary documentation ready for your application. Documentation and samples can be found below. These submittals will need to be uploaded as part of your online application through the Cityview Public Portal.
To avoid delays, please ensure your documents are complete, accurate, and meet all specified requirements before submission. Applications will not be reviewed until all required submittals have been received.
Submit your application through the Cityview Public Portal. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the Application Guide to create an account and complete your STA Licence application.
If your application is found to be incomplete or missing required information and/or documentation, we will notify you and provide you with seven days to submit the missing information/documents. Failure to provide the requested information and/or documentation within this timeframe will render your application incomplete, and you will need to submit a new application to proceed.
Please note that STA Licence applications will be accepted until the total number of issued licences reaches the maximum of 200, as set out in the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078. Once this limit is reached, new applications will be placed on a waitlist. Licences will be issued from the waitlist when availability arises.
Once submitted, Town staff will review your submitted application and supporting documents to ensure compliance with the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078 and applicable laws.
If the review of your application reveals that you do not comply with the requirements set out in the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078 or applicable laws, the Licensing Officer will notify you and provide you with twenty-one days to correct the issue(s). You must notify the Licensing Officer in writing once the required corrections have been completed.
Failure to correct the issue(s) within this timeframe will render your application incomplete, and you will need to submit a new application to proceed.
After the application review is complete, Town staff will contact you to schedule the Fire Inspection with the Fire Department and the Licensing and Property Standards Inspection with the By-law Services Division.
If an inspection of the premises reveals that your property does not comply with the requirements set out in the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078 or applicable laws, the Licensing Officer will notify you and provide twenty-one days to correct the issue(s). You must notify the Licensing Officer in writing once the required corrections have been completed and, if deemed necessary by an Officer, arrange for a reinspection.
Failure to correct the issue(s) and, if applicable, arrange for a reinspection within twenty-one days will render your application incomplete, and you will need to submit a new application to proceed.
Once all requirements have been met and the fire, licensing, and property standards inspections are completed, Town staff will contact you to issue your Short-Term Accommodation Licence.
At this stage, you will receive your official Licence, allowing you to legally operate your Short-Term Accommodation in compliance with the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078.
Explore this interactive map to view the status of short-term accommodation applications and licences within the Town of Collingwood. The map provides important details about each short-term accommodation, including the licence number and address, as well as the name and contact information of the Responsible Person. If you have any issues or concerns regarding a short-term accommodation, the Responsible Person is your first point of contact to address and resolve the matter.
Please note: This information is updated regularly but may not immediately reflect recent submissions or changes.
Short-term accommodation (“STA”) is defined in the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078 as “a dwelling unit, or any part thereof, that is operating or offering a place of temporary residence, lodging or occupancy by way of concession, permit, lease, Licence, rental agreement or similar commercial arrangement for any period of twenty-eight (28) consecutive calendar days or less, throughout all or any part of a calendar year. For greater certainty, Short-Term Accommodation shall not mean or include a hotel, a motel, a tourist camp, a boarding, rooming or lodging house, or similar commercial accommodation use, but shall include a bed and breakfast”.
In short, STA is the use of a dwelling, or part of a dwelling, as a rental accommodation for any period of 28 days or less.
To apply for a STA Licence, please visit the Cityview Public Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions in the Application Guide to create an account and complete your STA Licence application.
See the 'Application Process' section above for more information on the process.
Please refer to the STA Licence Application Checklist for a complete list of required documents, such as proof of ownership, site and floor plans, and proof of insurance.
The cost varies depending on the licence class. A $500 application fee is due upon submission, and the remaining balance is payable before licence issuance.
Licence Class
Fee
Class A – Guest Room Short-Term Accommodation Licence
$1,250
Class B – Principal Residence Short-Term Accommodation Licence
$2,250
Class C – Additional Residential Unit Short-Term Accommodation Licence
$2,500
Fees can be paid online through the Cityview Public Portal when completing your application. The $500 application fee is due at the final stage of submission, and the remaining balance of the licence fee will need to be paid prior to licence issuance.
Operating a STA without a licence is a contravention of the Town’s STA Licensing By-law 2024-078 and may result in the issuance of a penalty notice, charges, and/or impact your ability to obtain a STA Licence in the future.
Please note that incomplete applications will not be reviewed. If your application is found to be incomplete or missing required information and/or documentation, we will notify you and provide you with seven days to submit the missing information/documents. Failure to provide the requested information and/or documentation within this timeframe will render your application incomplete, and you will need to submit a new application to proceed.
Please review the STA Licence Application Checklist to ensure you have all the necessary documentation ready for your application.
A maximum of 200 licences are available at any time. Once this limit is reached, applications will be placed on a waitlist.
Yes, STA Licences must be renewed annually. The Licensee must ensure that a renewal application has been submitted to the Town no later than 30 days before the expiry of the current term. Failure to renew your licence 30 days before the expiry will result in a 20% late fee being applied. Once the licence has expired, a new application will need to be submitted.
As noted under “Step 5” of the Application Process, two Town inspections must occur before a licence is issued. One will be conducted by the By-law Services Division, who will inspect for compliance with the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078 and the Property Standards By-law 2016-040, and the other will be conducted by the Fire Department, who will inspect for compliance with the Ontario Fire Code, including any smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguishers. After your licence application is reviewed, you will be contacted to arrange these inspections.
If an inspection of the premises reveals that your property does not comply with the requirements set out in the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078 or applicable laws, the Licensing Officer will notify you and provide twenty-one days to correct the issue(s). You must notify the Licensing Officer in writing once the required corrections have been completed and, if deemed necessary by an Officer, arrange for a reinspection.
Failure to correct the issue(s) and, if applicable, arrange for a reinspection within twenty-one days will render your application incomplete, and you will need to submit a new application to proceed. No refunds for the $500 application fee will be issued.
The Responsible Person is designated by the Licensee to respond to issues or concerns at the STA. They are the first point of contact for resolving issues relating to the STA and must be able to respond to an emergency or contravention of this By-law or any applicable laws, including attendance on site of the premises within sixty minutes of being notified of the occurrence.
Responsible Person details are available on the interactive map in the 'Short-Term Accommodation Licence Status' section of this page.
If you have an immediate concern, please contact the Responsible Person by locating the STA on the interactive map under the 'Short-Term Accommodation Licence Status' section of this page. The Responsible Person is appointed by the Licensee to respond to any concerns or complaints about the use of the property.
If you would like to report a potential By-law violation, please contact the By-law Services Division, and the matter will be directed to STA Licensing or the appropriate department for investigation.
The STA Licensing Service provides a system of regulation for STAs that aims to:
Minimize neighbourhood issues and respect neighbourhood character;
Minimize the effects on long-term rental and housing supply;
Protect the health and safety of residents and visitors;
Improve compliance with enforcement;
Establish a fair and balanced approach to regulation; and
Support tourism and opportunities for residents to earn supplemental income.
The Town of Collingwood undertook an extensive review of STAs, including the commonly reported challenges, opportunities, benefits, and best practices.
Prior to the passage of the STA Licensing By-law 2024-078, staff solicited feedback from the community on STAs through two public consultations conducted between August 11 and September 30, 2022, and June 19 to July 31, 2023.
For more information on the development of the Licensing Service, please visit the Short-Term Accommodation Review webpage on Engage Collingwood.
Background
The creation of Collingwood’s STA Licensing Service was a thorough and inclusive process that involved multiple stages of extensive policy review and development. The initiative included two public consultations, inviting valuable input and perspectives on STAs from our residents and stakeholders. Several staff reports were presented to Council, ensuring that every aspect of the STA policy development was meticulously considered and aligned with the needs and values of the community. This section details the steps taken in the formulation of the STA Licensing Service.
For more information on the development of the Licensing Service, please visit the Short-Term Accommodation Review webpage on Engage Collingwood.
