February 13, 2024: Chamber speaks at STRA Public Input Meeting, Township Council Chambers

Thank you for the chance to speak to this draft bylaw.

At the public meeting on July 18th, our Chamber asked that the business community be consulted during preparation of a draft Bylaw that governs business. We followed up July 24th by sending a policy brief with recommendations to Bylaw, Planning and the Public Input email, and we stated:

“While supportive of a proposed bylaw, it’s our opinion that having businesses in this sector at the table will help you produce a draft bylaw that might be effectively accepted by the community at large.”

After what you’ve heard today, We hope you’ll want to work with us and business directly to help make that happen.

In July we asked

  1. that the business community be directly consulted
  2. that the Township avoid extreme measures
  3. that the definition of short-term rentals in the draft bylaw communicate the difference between professionally managed vacation rentals and unmanaged short-term rentals.

We also raised, for future consideration, that bylaws should be consistent across Muskoka.

Today, I’ll be more specific in repeating those asks (clear is kind)

  • Our Chamber, along with Chamber Members that rely on tourism, respectfully requests an in-person meeting with the Bylaw officer, planning director, economic development officer and the Mayor.. We’d like to meet before another draft goes to Council for consideration… And that the notes from the meeting be shared in full with council.

2) Your staff report noted that public input demonstrated “a desire to ensure that any license application process not be burdensome.”  We think the draft measures don’t reflect that desire. Worse, some of them will harm our local economy and business community. Specifically, we ask that you strike 3.5 b – the no rentals less than 3 days after Labour Day and before Victoria Day, in winter, for example. Our communities work hard to extend the shoulder season… with events like Cranberry Festival and Oktoberfest, not only to drive business, but to ensure employees get more hours so they’ll want to come back in May. People will rent for one or two nights, but to say they have to do it for 3?  It just kills the concept of a 365 day a year economy in Muskoka Lakes. We have hotels that aren’t even open in winter: we need beds to sustain tourism, and to encourage more local spend: tourism is our number one economic driver. Children are still in school in May/June. Please consider allowing shorter stays and changing the bylaw to start the 7-day minimum on Canada Day.

You know the economic impact of tourism… and here’s a refresher of some District data we shared at the public meeting: Rentals on the big three lakes account for $62 million of economic activity, and 523 direct, and indirect jobs….. and supply chains from this sector are short – which is good for the environment – and good for local business.

At that meeting we also applauded the fact Township wasn’t considering a ban. But the measures in this draft are so extreme that some are treating it like it is a ban –-and they’re already going underground with how they market and provide short stays. Nobody wants that: we supported licensing to weed out bad actors.  Also, the 50% summer rental restriction harms our seasonal residents who rent all summer so they can pay the taxes on their family homes –many of those people want rental companies to deal with the vetting and everything else – for example, your responsible person must be reached within the one-hour rule? Rental companies have proactive procedures in place and people on standby.

Which brings me to our main ask:

In the STR Definition today, There is still no differentiation between properly managed vacation rental companies and unmanaged rentals … and not to negate the good hosts, the private owners who take great care, but at the very least: If you are a business that has achieved TICO – Travel Industry of Ontario – licensed under the Travel Act of Ontario, we believe those businesses should be treated and respected the same as any good travel or accommodations operator. There should be no 50% during this time or that – no other bylaw in Muskoka has that restriction.

Thank you for bringing this DRAFT bylaw to the public’s attention. The Chamber sent an email this morning requesting an in-person meeting with staff and Councillors to hear from the business community. Can we set a date before you start on the next draft? Thank you.