Jul 6, 2017

Pumping the Brakes: New Regulations Aim to Limit the Impact of Short-Term Rentals in Toronto

The rise of the “sharing economy” has spawned many new industries, but perhaps one of the most prominent (together with ride sharing) has been the explosion in “vacation rental by owner” services, led most prominently in Canada by Airbnb. These short-term rental platforms operate worldwide, generally without regulation. The City of Toronto (the “City”), however, is seeking to change this trend. On June 12, the City’s Municipal Licensing and Standards division released a number of proposed regulations that could seriously impact the short-term rental market in Toronto. These regulations aim to increase the availability of permanent affordable rental housing by curbing the number of short-term rentals available, especially in the downtown core.
May 16, 2016

The Challenges and Benefits of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) for Municipalities

The growing interest in, and deployment of, distributed energy resources (“DER”) has been thought to be of interest, albeit for different reasons, primarily to consumers and to local electricity distribution utilities. However, DER has important implications for municipalities, both in their capacity as the owners of those distribution utilities and as a means to promote both conservation and the development of contaminated properties.
Mar 23, 2015

Partner Lyn Townsend Appointed to Bill 73 Development Charges Steering Committee

WeirFoulds is pleased to announce partner Lyn Townsend has been appointed by the Province to the newly formed Bill 73 Development Charges Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will work with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the working groups formed to provide advice to the Provincial government on regulatory changes needed to implement the new provisions of the Development Charges Act.