St. Catharines
Airbnb management in St. Catharines, for a licensed home
In St. Catharines, a short-term rental is a home-based business run from the operator's primary residence, and it needs a City licence.
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In St. Catharines, a short-term rental is a home-based business run from the operator's primary residence, and it needs a City licence. Tell bnbHost about your St. Catharines home, how you live in it and the dates you have in mind. Your free property review checks the licence steps, the rental model and the hosting work together.
Hosting work you can hand over
Our management service covers booking management, listing SEO management, price optimization, professional photography, welcome book, cleaning and laundry, property maintenance, key exchange management and licensing support. We confirm the cleaning, maintenance and access arrangements for your address before agreeing to take it on. Explore the management service.
Your home comes first
The City permits short-term rental accommodations in residential areas as long as they are not the primary use of the property: the property must operate first and foremost as a full-time residence. It must be the primary residence of the operator, who may be the owner or a tenant, and the rental runs as a secondary, home-based business.
The City separates two models. In a short-term rental, the entire dwelling unit is rented while the operator is not present. In a bed and breakfast, the operator is present and hosts guests in the home. Tell us which you have in mind, because it changes what guests, the City and your own calendar need.
The licence and the application
A City licence is required, and it is issued for two years. The application includes a site plan, floor plans, a parking plan, a fire safety protocol, a letter from a licensed electrician, proof of ownership and a certificate of liability insurance. If you rent the home, the City asks for your lease and written authorization from the property owner. The application fee is not returned if the application cannot be approved, so it pays to check the home first.
The City's insurance certificate is its own requirement; we do not assume that the property insurance included in our fee meets it. Your advertising must show your licence number, and the City applies a Municipal Accommodation Tax to short-term rental stays. Ask about both at your review.
Guests and the welcome book
Destination Ontario calls St. Catharines the Garden City. Guests can ride the antique carousel in Lakeside Park near the Port Dalhousie Marina, learn the Welland Canal's history at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre, or see DeCew Falls from Morningstar Mill. Your guest guide should add the parking, noise and waste rules at your address. In a condo, check the building's governing documents first: condo corporations can restrict short-term rentals. A nearby attraction is a reason to write a better guest guide; it does not establish what your home will earn.
Your dates, fee and agreement
Decide which dates stay for you and which can be offered to guests. The management fee is 22% per booking, with property insurance included. Your written agreement sets out the calculation, additional costs, insurance details and the work covered. See how the fee works.
Tell us about your St. Catharines home
Send the address, home type, whether you own or rent it, confirmation that it is your primary residence, whether you have a short-term rental or a bed and breakfast in mind, and the status of any City licence. We will discuss property fit and what needs to be resolved before accepting management work. There is no income or booking guarantee.
Comparing options? Use our questions to ask a property manager before choosing your arrangement.