Ontario Upholds Toronto's Airbnb Regulations

The vacancy rate in Toronto has been estimated as low 1.1 percent, but the province has approved regulations intended to restore units that have been taken off the long-term rental market by short-term rental platforms like Airbnb.

1 minute read

November 20, 2019, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Short-Term Rentals

sitthiphong / Shutterstock

"An Ontario tribunal has upheld Toronto regulations on short-term rentals that will restrict the most prolific hosts on Airbnb and other home-sharing services," reports Shane Dingman.

"The new rules apply to homeowners and tenants who want to offer rooms and homes for short-term rental on such services as Airbnb or VRBO. The regulations restrict short-term rentals to a homeowner’s principal residence, and then only to a maximum of 180 days a year."

Ontario's Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) had the power to determine whether the zoning regulations approved by Toronto to curtail "ghost hotel" operators were planned in good faith. According to Dingman, lawyers for the commercial operators subject to the regulations plan to appeal the LPAT's decision.

"There are about 21,000 short-term listings in the city, but local activists and researchers have argued that as many as 5,000 homes in Toronto have been permanently converted to short-stay accommodations," explains Dingman of the scope of short-term rental operations in the city.  

Monday, November 18, 2019 in The Globe and Mail

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today