Bluewater Council Fine-Tuning Short Term Rental Policy

by Bob Montgomery

Bluewater council is continuing to refine the municipality's Short Term Rental policy.

Bayfield Ward Councillor Bill Whetstone says their scouring software has now identified at least 480 short term rentals in the municipality but he adds, there may be some duplication there. It's possible some of them are no longer in business but haven't taken down their advertising that's being picked up by the scouring software. They've sent out letters to those people asking them to clarify whether they have closed down or if they intend to get licences.

Whetstone was surprised by the number of short term rentals they have. He thought it would be closer to about three hundred and he says of the 480 they found, about 80% of them are within the Bayfield area. 

Whetstone says they'll go over their list again in the fall to make sure everyone on the list is still operating and then make recommendations regarding what changes they feel have to be made at that time.