November 27, 2019

I am very thankful for all the input and assistance received to help pass a motion today at council, that protects the unique short-term rental experience in rural areas. This motion would allow short-term rentals in secondary dwellings, coach houses and other similar types of units in the rural areas of Ottawa.

I am supportive of regulating short-term rentals and am looking forward to seeing these policies implemented. I want to ensure that when we are implementing a new policy and looking to resolve an issue, that we aren’t creating another one. Rural Ottawa does not always have the same types of issues that we see in Urban or Suburban areas, such as parking availability.

In the rural wards we have farm houses, coach houses and barns. Many of our homes are built with a second entrance that can be considered a secondary dwelling. We offer a unique experience that not many other large cities can provide. I often see travelers visiting from European countries like Sweden and the Netherlands, who choose to stay at short-term rentals in Osgoode Ward so they can experience our dairy farms and our crop operations.

While preparing this motion, Councillor Eli El-Chantiry and myself were sure to tread carefully. We worked closely with By-Law and Regulatory Services (BLRS), General Manager of Emergency and Protective Services Anthony DiMonte and his team, General Manager of Planning, Infrastructure and Eco Development Steve Willis, Community and Protective Services Chair Councillor Jenna Sudds, our legal department and many others. We heard from our residents as well and I would like to say a special thank you to the Osgoode Ward Business Association and the Osgoode Ward Advisory Committee for their input. We looked to ensure we were not going to impact anyone else. As councillors, it is important we are careful when we implement policies as we know not one size fits all. Short-term rental platforms do need to be properly regulated.

This has been a great experience for myself as I had taken time to speak with many different city departments as well as other councillors for input and feedback. This really goes to show that good conversation and collaboration gets good work done.