Politics
Distillery District City Council Adopts Short-Term Rental Caps, Aligning With Regional Assessment Methods
The July 8 vote sets a 120-day annual limit for non-primary residences, requiring registration for all hosts in the heritage zone starting January 2027.
How we reported this
The Distillery District City Council passed the revised short-term rental ordinance on July 8 by a 6-3 vote. The measure caps bookings at 120 days per year for properties not used as primary residences. It applies directly to hosts operating in the blocks surrounding the former industrial core.
Council members acted after the planning department completed a review required by the 2025 regional housing coordination statute. That statute directed municipalities to standardize licensing rules to track the conversion of residential units into visitor accommodations. The ordinance takes effect on the same schedule used by three other cities that completed their own updates in 2025.
Effects on daily housing access and local costs
Distillery District residents looking for year-round apartments will see properties currently listed on booking platforms become available for longer leases. The city clerk's office will begin accepting license applications on October 1. Hosts who exceed the 120-day limit face fines of $250 per violation after the first warning.
According to the planning department's 2026 housing inventory, 182 units in the district are presently registered as short-term rentals. The ordinance requires each operator to submit annual usage reports that the city will cross-check against utility records.
Comparison to other cities' rules
Distillery District now uses the same 120-day threshold already in place in Riverside and exceeds the 90-day limit applied in Oakville. The legislation states that enforcement procedures, including twice-yearly inspections, will match the model adopted by those two municipalities last year. The government says the policy will generate $180,000 in licensing revenue in its first full year, to be directed to the housing code enforcement division.
City staff will publish final compliance guidelines by September 15. Property owners must complete registration by December 31 to avoid operating without a permit after the January start date.