In my capacity as Director of Business Development at Property Valet, one of my many responsibilities is to stay abreast of the legislative landscape here in the Blue Mountains. This is part of our responsibility and commitment to our valued homeowners and it is one of the reasons we, at Property Valet, are the market-leaders in the vacation rental management space in the markets in which we operate, The Blue Mountains, Mont-Tremblant and now Revelstoke. Ensuring we maintain the most in-depth knowledge of the legislative landscape at Property Valet is something we take seriously and work very hard at. In addition to the knowledge and expertise that we share day after day with our valued and loyal homeowner community here at Blue, we also advocate on behalf of those valued homeowners through the Blue Mountains Short Term Accommodation Owners Association (BMSTA). I, myself, am one of the founders of this advocacy association and myself and Sean Landreth, Founder and Chairman of Property Valet, are sitting Board members of the BMSTA.
The Blue Mountains Short Term Accommodation Owners Association (BMSTA) has been diligently advocating for the interests of Short Term Accommodation (STA) and Commercial Resort Unit (CRU) owners in the Blue Mountains community. Recently, in response to proposed Municipal revisions to the Licensing By-law and administrative monetary penalties By-law, Property Valet in coordination with the BMSTA, has provided detailed feedback and recommendations to Mayor Andrea Matrosovs, Members of Council and key town staff.
BMSTA has raised valid concerns about the proposed changes, emphasising that the current legislative framework is working effectively and there is no significant issue with 99% of licensed operators. The association has suggested that the focus should be on addressing non-licensed and illegal operators/premises. BMSTA has also recommended implementing higher AMP fines for illegal operators, similar to those in Prince Edward County, but has adamantly objected to excessive fines for minor non-operationally impactful infractions.
One of BMSTA's key recommendations is the requirement for licensed properties to have a contract with a security company, with licensed personnel to proactively monitor STA's when they are rented or occupied. This measure has proven successful in addressing noise, parking, and garbage concerns within the vast majority of operators, and the BMSTA believes mandating licensed security as a prerequisite of holding a licence could improve the metrics and stats - specifically on the 1% of STA’s that are actually statistically an actual problem under the STA licensing program in the Blue Mountains. The reality is that, based on Municipal stats, there are only approximately 4-5 problem STA’s. This reality underscores our position that no significant structural changes with the current version of the licensing By-law.
BMSTA has also expressed concerns about proposed revisions to the demerit point system, occupant load restrictions, and the use of attestation statements in place of fire inspections. The association has called for a more thorough review of the proposed by-law revisions by a council-approved working group to ensure industry stakeholder input and recommendations are considered.
In conclusion, BMSTA is currently urging Council to carefully evaluate the proposed revisions to the Licensing By-law and AMP's By-law, considering the impact on the STA/CRU industry and the local economy. The association believes that maintaining a fair and reasonable regulatory framework is essential to support the continued success of the tourism accommodations sector in the Blue Mountains community.
At Property Valet we’re here for you, and our service extends beyond managing just guests and maintenance. When you work with us you have a team that is also researching, advocating and engaging the community on your behalf, to protect your best interest. Feel free to contact us for any and all of your vacation rental management needs.
- Stu Frith, Director of Business Development
