City to regulate short-term vacation home rentals

Journal Staff Sarnia is preparing to put rules in place for residents who rent homes on vacations sites like Airbnb and HomeAway. Short-term rentals to travellers visiting the city for work or play have become very popular.

Journal Staff

Sarnia is preparing to put rules in place for residents who rent homes on vacations sites like Airbnb and HomeAway.

Short-term rentals to travellers visiting the city for work or play have become very popular. A “Sarnia” search of Airbnb.ca identifies more than 300 private rooms and homes, with about 100 of them located in the immediate Sarnia area.

The new bylaw would cover short-term property rentals and put a licensing framework in place.

The proposed rules would limit short-term rental to a maximum of four rooms or the entire home, require an additional parking space for each guest room, and require the rooms rented to be in the principal residence of the rental operator.

Stays would be limited to a maximum of 180 days, with the owner needing to obtain an initial permit with annual renewals, like those already in place for bed and breakfast operators.

Council is expected to discuss the issue on Dec. 9.