Core Area: Property

Pumping the Brakes: New Regulations Aim to Limit the Impact of Short-Term Rentals in Toronto

The rise of the “sharing economy” has spawned many new industries, but perhaps one of the most prominent (together with ride sharing) has been the explosion in “vacation rental by owner” services, led most prominently in Canada by Airbnb. These short-term rental platforms operate worldwide, generally without regulation. The City of Toronto (the “City”), however, is seeking to change this trend. On June 12, the City’s Municipal Licensing and Standards division released a number of proposed regulations that could seriously impact the short-term rental market in Toronto. These regulations aim to increase the availability of permanent affordable rental housing by curbing the number of short-term rentals available, especially in the downtown core.

Bill 139, Building Better Communities and Conserving Watersheds Act, 2017

On May 30, 2017, Bill 139 passed first reading. Bill 139 would, among other things, continue the Ontario Municipal Board (“OMB”) under the new name “Local Planning Appeal Tribunal” (“LPAT” or “Tribunal”), and amend the Planning Act to revise the jurisdiction and authority which the OMB had previously exercised.

Ontario Announces Proposed Changes to the OMB and the Results of the Coordinated Review of Four Provincial Land Use Plans

Over the past few days there have been a series of announcements from the province of Ontario regarding the introduction of legislation related to reforms of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), and the results of a coordinated review of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH), the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan. Please find details about both of these announcements below.