Unlike Lambton Shores, the Municipality of Bluewater has chosen to set "location limits" which restrict property owners from obtaining a short-term rental (STR) licence for their property if an abutting property is licensed OR if more than 15% of the properties on the street have STR licenses.

These location limits are grossly unfair and unjust. To stipulate that a property owner cannot rent their property short term while allowing some of their neighbours to do so is simply not justifiable. If a property owner's neighbour is permitted to rent short term, then said property owner should be permitted to do so also. Allowing every property owner the same opportunities (without limiting the opportunities based on what one's neighbours are doing) is the only way to ensure fairness when it comes to rental licenses. 

In addition to being unjust, the location limits are very short-sighted. The location limits as they stand will have significant negative impacts on new and existing STR owners, local residents and local businesses that do not seem to have been carefully considered. These negative impacts include:  

1) Uncertainty in Obtaining a Licence - Property owners do not have any assurance that they will be able to obtain an STR licence since this is dependent on whether or not their neighbours already have licences. A new property owner may find that they are able to get the licence today, but that could change tomorrow. Any sale or transfer of ownership puts the property at risk of losing its ability to rent short term. Even if ownership is simply transferred to the owner's children or other family members, the new owners may not be able to obtain an STR licence following the transfer. Neighbours may rush to apply for an available STR licence when they catch wind that the property is selling or transferring ownership. This creates unnecessary stress for everyone. 

2) Decreased Property Values - STR properties cannot be marketed for sale as STR properties since there is great uncertainty regarding whether or not the new owners will be granted a licence.  Realtors are observing that their investor clients have already shifted their focus to Lambton Shores where the STR licence does not have location limits and where investors are confident that they will be granted the licence. Therefore, the pool of potential property buyers has significantly decreased in Bluewater, which will have a negative effect on everyone's property values. The pool of potential buyers for properties in Bluewater is now limited to those who are looking to use the properties for personal residence only. 

3) Less Income for Local Businesses - It is no secret that Bluewater businesses benefit greatly from the revenue generated by tourism. With fewer investors and STRs there will be less tourism and therefore less income for local businesses. The ripple effect of less money coming into the local economy will affect everyone. Less money entering the community means more competition per dollar which can lead to businesses shutting down and employees of businesses losing their jobs. Fewer investors also means fewer real estate activities including property sale transactions, renovations and new builds, which will damage the local economy further and directly negatively impact local contractors, builders, hardware stores and shops. Furthermore, the significant disregard of and financial harm inflicted on existing STR investors by the municipality from the location limits is unlikely to make existing STR investors want to spend any more money in Bluewater, and instead they will simply plan their exit from the municipality. 

In summary, the location limits on the new STR licence bylaw in Bluewater are not in anyone's best interests. They are unfair and unjust and the negative repercussions will be felt by everyone in the municipality. Bluewater has not fully considered the implications that this overreaching restriction will have on new and existing STR owners, local residents and local businesses. They should remove the location limits and give all property owners the opportunity to rent short term if they so choose, as was permitted for many years prior to this new bylaw coming into effect, and as is still permitted in the neighbouring municipality.

In addition to signing this petition, we strongly encourage Bluewater STR owners, residents and businesses to express their concerns about the location limits directly to the council members of the Municipality of Bluewater by emailing and/or calling them. Their contacts can be found here: https://www.municipalityofbluewater.ca/municipal-office/council/council-members/

Thank you!