{"id":209240,"date":"2025-10-14T13:06:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T17:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/?p=209240"},"modified":"2025-10-14T13:06:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T17:06:12","slug":"lake-of-bays-moves-forward-with-a-4-municipal-accommodation-tax-starting-jan-1-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/lake-of-bays-moves-forward-with-a-4-municipal-accommodation-tax-starting-jan-1-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Lake of Bays moves forward with a 4% Municipal Accommodation Tax starting Jan. 1, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Despite opposition from some, at its Tuesday, October 14, 2025, meeting, Lake of Bays Council approved the bylaw to implement a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT), effective January 1, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Patti Dryden, Owner of Tally Ho Lakefront Cottage Rentals, appealed to council to reconsider the tax before voting on the bylaw to implement it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“During this challenging economic time, when both the Federal and Provincial governments are encouraging Canadians to shop locally and travel within Canada, it is difficult to understand why our municipality would take measures that discourage local tourism. It is no secret that the Lake of Bays Planning Department is neither easy nor helpful to work with and has been quite costly in many of the initiatives we have undertaken to grow our business,” she stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Township of Lake of Bays hired an economic developer to support and encourage local businesses, yet this tax seems counterproductive to that goal. We respectfully ask the council to reconsider this decision, as the impact on local businesses will be significant compared to the limited benefit to the municipality. I would also like to invite any council member to visit our business and meet some of our guests, who\u2014like each of you\u2014are affected by even the slightest price increase,” she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CouncilLor Mike Peppard said he, too, was skeptical about the accommodation tax at first, but has since changed his point of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“After listeing to multiple conversations around how much we can innovate in terms of tourism and how it will help, I’m now convinced that the tax will help us generally all around so I’m still in favour of it,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it came to a vote, the council passed the bylaw, thereby implementing the tax, which will come into effect on the first day of 2026. Councillor Nancy Tapley declared a pecuniary conflict for reasons of employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Township of Lake of Bays joins Huntsville, Bracebridge, and Gravenhurst in implementing such a tax. Guests staying at hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and short-term rental accommodations of 30 days or less in Lake of Bays will be subject to a four percent (4%) MAT. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A media release issued by the Township before the meeting even ended, notes that the MAT program was shaped by extensive public consultations with local accommodation providers, as well as input from an advisory group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Township of Lake of Bays:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the program, half of all MAT proceeds will be managed by a newly established independent Lake of Bays Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). Led by local accommodation providers, the DMO will direct funding to priority tourism initiatives based on a forthcoming tourism strategy. The remaining fifty per cent (50%) of revenue will be retained by the Township to support economic development, recreation, and other tourism-related initiatives that benefit residents, businesses, and visitors alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key points:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n