Is it legal to rent out your home short-term without a permit in downtown Toronto, Canada?

In downtown Toronto, Canada, the legality of renting out your home on a short-term basis without a permit depends on several local regulations. The City of Toronto has specific bylaws that govern short-term rentals, defined as rental terms less than 28 consecutive days. According to these bylaws, homeowners are required to register with the city as a short-term rental operator, which effectively acts as obtaining a permit. This registration needs to be renewed annually. Additionally, the property must be the operator’s principal residence, limiting the ability to rent out non-primary residences on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO.

Trivia: Toronto’s regulations on short-term rentals were partly introduced to address housing shortages and concerns that residential properties were being converted into de facto hotels, impacting the availability of long-term rental housing.