Ontario to Allow Short Term Rentals to Resume Operations Starting June 5
On June 4, the Ontario government announced that short term rentals (including those operating in condominiums) will be allowed to resume operations starting June 5, 2020.
For condominiums with short-term rental prohibitions in place, nothing really changes. The enforcement mechanisms (that were available prior to the pandemic) to enforce such prohibitions remain in place.
For condominiums that do not have such prohibitions, this latest development will mean an additional issue for the Board to be aware of. Although we are slowly moving through the process of re-opening, extra precautions are still necessary to try and prevent COVID-19’s spread. At condominiums where short-term rentals are not prohibited, the Board of Directors will need to carefully evaluate their specific circumstances, to determine what further measures/procedures need to be implemented given the possibility of additional visitors in their community.
Additional steps could include items such as:
- Additional cleaning;
- Specific procedures on entry and exit for Airbnb guests; and/or
- Requiring Airbnb guests to fill out a health screening questionnaire before being allowed to enter the property.
If needed, the local public health authority can be a good resource to obtain information and/or suggestions on best practices.
Alternatively, the Board in such situations may decide, based on the needs in their community, that short-term rentals must remain prohibited during this crisis (despite it no longer being prohibited by the province). As we mentioned previously, the Board has overriding responsibility for the safety and security of the common elements.
Stay tuned to Condo Law News to keep up to date on the latest developments in condominium law!
