Burlington, Ont.— July 4, 2025— This week, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada announced the City will receive $759,719 over two years in funding to help support enforcement of Burlington’s new Short-Term Accommodation By-law. The City’s by-law is designed to address key concerns raised through community feedback by reducing neighbourhood disruptions and protecting long-term rental availability. The by-law, which came into effect on May 1, now requires that all short-term accommodations be licensed in Burlington.

In recent years, short-term rental activity has been increasing across Canada, with the loss of long-term units contributing to the housing shortage. The Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund, delivered through Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Canada, is designed to support municipal and Indigenous community enforcement of existing restrictions on short-term rentals.

The City’s Short-Term Accommodation By-law is designed to address:

• Housing availability: The by-law requires that any property licensed as a short-term accommodation must be the primary residence of the applicant (or have approval from the primary applicant) and can only be rented for a maximum of 28 consecutive days and a total of six months (183 days) per year.
• Common nuisances: The by-law aims to mitigate neighbourhood nuisances such as noise, parking issues, and garbage. Owners must provide a ‘renter’s code’, submit plans for garbage and parking, and limit occupancy based on the home size.
• Safety: Owners must submit HVAC and electrical certificates, declare compliance with maintenance plans, and follow the Building Code and Fire Code.

Property owners who rent out their homes for short periods (up to 28 consecutive days) for a fee must obtain a Short-Term Accommodation Operator Licence. As the City rolls out the new by-law, those in the pre-application stage or actively inquiring about or applying for a licence are not currently considered non-compliant. Starting in September, the City will begin stricter enforcement against unlicensed short-term rental operators.

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Quotes

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward

“We know that short term rentals have caused disruptions in neighbourhoods. This support plays a critical role in helping us uphold community safety, maintain housing availability, and ensure that operators are meeting their responsibilities under the by-law. We’re grateful to our partners at the Federal government for providing this support.”  

Kerry Davren, Director, By-law Compliance

“The funding provided by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, will directly support the hiring of additional enforcement officers to ensure compliance with the City’s short-term rental by-law. Our goal is to protect the integrity of our neighbourhoods while maintaining fair and consistent enforcement. We’re encouraged by the ongoing, constructive conversations we’re having with applicants and remain committed to reviewing and refining the by-law as needed to ensure it continues to serve the best interests of the community."

Quick Facts

• Burlington City Council approved the Short-Term Accommodation By-law in January 2025.
• The Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund aims to limit short-term rentals that take away units from the long-term housing market across the country. The program provides grant funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities with existing strict regulatory regimes to support the local enforcement of short-term rental restrictions in an effort to make more long-term housing units available in Canada.

Links and Resources

• Read more about the Short-Term Rental Enforcement Fund details here.
• Learn more about the City’s Short-Term Accommodation By-law