Short Term Rental Accommodation and Bed & Breakfast Establishments Licensing

Most Recent Update - July 2026

Licensing By-law Update

At the July 22, 2026 Special Council meeting, Council unanimously passed the Township’s Short-Term Rental Accommodations and Bed and Breakfast Establishments Licensing By-law (By-law No. 2026-078). The By-law is effective immediately; however, Council directed staff to delay enforcement for a specified period to allow eligible STRA and B&B Establishments to obtain a license to operate. Please see details are below.

Explanation of Terms

Legal STRA or B&B – zoning on the subject property permits a commercial Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) or Bed and Breakfast Establishment (B&B).
Illegal STRA or B&B – zoning on the subject property does not permit a commercial STRA or a B&B establishment.
Commercial STRA – means an STRA that is advertised (i.e., including but not limited to advertising platforms, social media, newspapers, etc.)
STRAs that do not advertise – are legal in all residential zones, agriculture and rural zones where dwelling units are permitted and do not require a license.

Licensing

By-law and Reports

STRA And B&B Establishments Licensing By-Law Staff Report: DS2026-086 - July 22, 2026 Staff Report: DS2026-077 - July 22, 2026 Staff Report: DS2026-064 - June 24, 2026

Zoning

Background Reports

Staff Report: DS2026-089 - July 22, 2026 Staff Report: DS2026-076 - June 24, 2026

Application Process

To operate a Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) and/or a Bed & Breakfast in the Township of Oro-Medonte, you must first apply for and obtain a license from the Township. Operating without a license may result in charges and/or an issuance of a penalty notice.

Please review the resources below to learn about the application process, and licensing requirements and to ensure your application is complete and complies with all requirements.

Note: Please download all applicable forms to apply signatures, where required.

Condo Rental Application Process

90 Highland Drive, Highland Estate Condominium

Please find a list of documents related to the Short-Term Rental and Bed & Breakfast application process for properties in the 90 Highland Drive Estate Condominium.

Floor Plans & Parking Map

General STRA / B&B Application Process

Required Documentation and Information

Please review the STRA and B&B License Application Checklist

Application Checklist
Fire Safety Checklist
Licensing Application Form
Licensing Owner Licensee Code of Conduct
Licensing Tenant Authorization Form
Licensing Co-Owners Authorization Form
Licensing Municipal Water & Sewer Acknowledgement Form
Licensing Declaration of No Longer Operating
Renter's Code of Conduct
Responsible Person Acknowledgement Form
Licensing Agent Authorization Form
Site Plan Drawing (View an Example Site Plan)
Floor Plan Drawing (View an Example Floor Plan)

Additional Required Information

Proof of Premises Ownership
Property Information
Property Management Information
Proof of insurance (highlight rental clause within policy)
Septic System Information
Waste Disposal Plan (written instructions providing the renters direction on how garbage waste and recycling is required to be disposed of during and after each stay)
Name and contact information of the Owner or Owner's Agent
Proof that the Applicant is at least eighteen (18) years of age if the Applicant is an individual
Proof that the Applicant, if a Corporation, is legally entitled to conduct business in Ontario

Prepare for Application

Thinking of renting your home short‑term or establishing a bed & breakfast?

Before you apply:

Read this page in full, including the Application Process, Licensing By-law Enforcement, Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).
Complete the Pre‑Application Checklist (incomplete applications will not be reviewed)
Familiarize yourself with Cloudpermit by reviewing “How to Submit an Application” video

Please prepare all required information in advance to ensure a smooth process once applications can be accepted.

The online application process is currently under development. Please check back soon.

Short-Term Rental Accommodations and Bed & Breakfast Establishment Licensing By-Law Enforcement

Council has delayed enforcement of the licensing by-law to give STRA and B&B operators the opportunity to obtain a license, as per the schedule below.

Week of August 3rd – Education Letter/Notice to be sent out to all listed legal and illegal STRAs and B&B operators and posted on the Township website advising:

- Legal Commercial STRA and B&B Operators – must apply for a License and be licensed by September 30, 2026 or cease advertising.
- Illegal Commercial STRA Operators – must apply for a re-zoning by September 30, 2026 or cease advertising. Property must be rezoned by January 30, 2027 to permit an STRA.

Staff will process license and Re-zoning Applications as they are received.
This website landing page will be updated with information on the application process to obtain an STRA and B&B Establishment License including:

- an interactive map showing the location of licensed STRAs and B&Bs including the name and contact information for licensed properties; and
- a direct link to submit a complaint or concern about an STRA or B&B establishment.

On August 30th, 2026, Granicus will send out reminder Education Letters/Notices to those legal operators not licensed, requesting that they apply for a license by September 30, 2026 or stop advertising.

Note: If property owners (legal) have applied for a license or (illegal) have applied for a Re-zoning Application and are proceeding through the review process, they will be permitted to continue to advertise while the application is being processed.

On September 1, 2026, Granicus and Municipal Law will send out reminder Education Letters/Notices to those illegal operators that have not applied for a re-zoning advising that they need to apply for a re-zoning by September 30, 2026 or there will not be sufficient time for Council to consider their application by the January 30, 2027 deadline. They also must stop advertising by September 30, 2026 or be in violation of the By-law.
On September 1, 2026, Municipal Law will start issuing warning notices to legal and Illegal STRA and B&B operators that are still advertising and not licensed.
On October 1, 2026 (two (2) months after Licensing By-law adoption), Municipal Law will start issuing Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) Notices to legal and Illegal STRA and B&B operators that are still advertising and not licensed.

Note: All notices will be posted on the Township website and through social channels to provide notification of those that did not receive a direct notice and to the public.

Note: The Township contracts a third party to search between 60 and 100 websites for STRA and B&B listings in Oro-Medonte, and compares the ones advertising with the list of STRAs and B&Bs that are licensed. It then advises the Township of the ones not licensed and the Township takes appropriate action.

Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS)

Monetary penalties are issued under the authority of the Municipal Act where the payment is due within a specified time, or the amount of the penalty is put on property taxes for payment. Some offences can be applied for each day there is a violation, and can be stacked with other violations. (Refer to the STRA and B&B Licensing By-law or AMPS By-law for details).

Additional Information

What are Short Term Rental Accommodations?

Short Term Rental Accommodations (STRAs) (distinct from Bed and Breakfast Establishments and Timeshares, which are other types of STRAs) can be broadly described as dwelling units offered for rent via electronic platforms, which are rented out for the purpose of commercial gain and profit, for periods as short as one (1) day, but more typically for three (3) days or a week, and not longer than a month.

Where are STRA’s Currently Permitted in Oro-Medonte?

Currently, STRAs are only permitted in certain zone categories. The Township’s Zoning By-law No. 97-95 permits STRAs in the Village Resort Commercial area within the Village (V1) and Residential Two, Exception 123 (R2-123) Zones.

The following areas in the Township are currently zoned under Zoning By-law 97-95 to permit a timeshare or commercial unit allowing for short term accommodation:

Horseshoe Resort Condos
The Carriage Hills Resort and Carriage Country Club

It is important to note that Commercial Accommodation is not listed as a permitted use in any of the Township's residential zones under the Township’s Zoning By-law 97-95, as amended. Therefore, STRAs are not permitted in residential zones throughout Oro-Medonte.

Bed and Breakfast uses are another form of STRA, and are only permitted as of right in the Agriculture/Rural Zone (A/RU), or Private Recreation (PR) Zone under the Township’s Zoning By-law 97-95, as amended. They are permitted elsewhere by exception when approved through a Zoning Amendment, which property owners are required to apply for.

What is the Purpose of the Licensing By-law?

The purpose of municipal licensing is to ensure that commercial operations are maintaining minimum standards to protect the health and safety of the public. Municipal licensing works in conjunction with the Township’s Zoning By-law, which defines the uses permitted in a zone and the requirements for the use (setbacks from property lines, parking, building height and area, location of accessory buildings, etc.)

If a commercial use is subject to a licensing By-law, the owner of the property must apply for a license and meet certain health and safety requirements before a license can be issued. Each use has to meet certain requirements specified in the Licensing By-law. The requirements are different for a restaurant compared to a kennel. Some activities are licensed by the Province through professional associations. For example, Doctors, Accountants and Plumbers and others are not licensed by municipalities.

The Township is considering introducing a licensing By-law for legal STRAs and Bed and Breakfast Establishments (B&Bs) to ensure that operators of these facilities are maintaining minimum standards for the safety of their guests, and to introduce rules regarding how operators advertise and operate for the purpose of protecting the safety and character of neighbourhoods where they operate.

The intent of the Licensing By-law is to license legal short term rental accommodations, and bed and breakfast accommodation establishments (B&Bs) within the Township. The By-law aims to protect tenant health and safety by enforcing housing and property standards on STRAs and B&B’s and minimize neighborhood nuisances.

How does the Township Currently Manage Complaints Pertaining to STRAs in Oro-Medonte?

The Township’s Municipal Law division follows a complaint based approach to monitor, manage, and enforce Zoning By-law 97-95 pertaining to STRs which are considered and identified as problematic.

Complaints can be made by calling the Municipal Law Enforcement office, submitting an online fillable complaint form, or sending an e-mail to the municipal law enforcement general e-mail address. The submission of a completed complaint form is preferred given that it will outline all the required information for a complaint.