The City of St. Catharines is dedicated to making the neighbourhood an inviting place for visitors. However, when it comes to short term rentals, the City is committed to balancing guests’ needs with the comfort and safety of residents. The following is a complete guideline for St. Catharines’ short term rental regulations so that anyone can be a responsible host when using platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and other similar services. This rundown should give you a good start in understanding your local laws.
Short Term Rentals
St. Catharines defines short term rentals as accommodations rented for a period of less than one month, not exceeding 28 days. These sorts of accommodations can serve a range of purposes. Although guests commonly use them due to their short term nature.
Short term accommodations are offered by hotel/motels and bed and breakfasts. Additionally, the emergence of online platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, Flipkey etc., has made it easier for residents to offer their homes as short term rentals, advertise, connect with potential renters, and complete transactions.
Zoning By-law
The City’s Zoning By-law allows for both hotel/motel and bed and breakfast uses. However, the only type of STR now permitted in residential zones is traditional bed and breakfast operations, and it doesn’t permit the rental of an entire dwelling unit. According to the Zoning By-law, hotel/motel use is recognized and permitted in commercial, employment, and mixed-use zones but not in any residential zones.
Bed and breakfast are considered a home-based business. Therefore, the business owner (property owner or tenant) should live in the dwelling during the rental period. STRs are only permitted within a detached dwelling and are limited to the rental of a maximum of four rooms.
Parking By-law
The Parking By-laws of St. Catharines set forth the rules and regulations for car parking, stopping and standing, accessible parking, fees, ticketing, permits and more. The City is committed to providing high-quality and accessible parking to residents and guests in order to increase access to locations throughout the City.
Other Regulations
As a responsible host, you must comprehend and abide by other vacation rental rules and regulations that bind you. These include leases, community rules, HOA rules, or other guidelines set up by tenant associations. Feel free to reach out to your landlord, housing authority, or community council to find out more. To get more information about other short term rental regulations, you can also visit St. Catharines’ official website or contact us.