Accommodation Types

Visitor accomodation refers to a building or group of buildings not for residential use, rather only for short-term stays where sleeping facilities are provided for visitors for periods of up to 30 days. They may also contain a variety of services and amenities for the benefit of guests. Examples of visitor accomodation include hotels and motels. 

• Visitor accomodation (such as hotels) are permitted in specific areas that are zoned for that type of use. 
• This type of accomodation is designed for short-term visitor use; people may not live in these units. 
• Visitor accomodation must have a centralized booking system.
• Visitor accomodation may be promoted on short-term commercial listing sites such as AirBnB. 
• Operators of visitor accomodation units must obtain a business license and a development permit.

• The Town’s Land Use Bylaw identifies zones where visitor accomodation may or may not be allowed to operate. However, within the zones there may be only certain buildings or locations that allow visitor accomodation. Visitor accommodation is generally permitted within commercial zones such as Bow Valley Trail and the Downtown district.
• For more information on how specific properties are zoned, please see the property information viewer map to check land use zones. Using the map, click on a location and the property information will appear. Under the annual assessment, look at the Roll Number – Code. The two numbers and possibly a letter after the “-” will indicate the how the property is assessed. To learn more about what the numbers and letters mean, click on the “code” to see if the property is assessed as residential, a tourist home, or commercial.

A tourist home is any dwelling that can be used as a permanent residence or for vacation rentals. The formal definition of a tourist home is: “a dwelling unit operated as a temporary place to stay, with or without compensation, and includes all vacation rentals of a dwelling unit." It can include an entire Dwelling Unit or just a single room. A Tourist Home is designated with a Code 21 assessment code.

The characteristics that distinguish a tourist home from a dwelling unit used as a residence may include any of the following:

• the intent of the occupant to stay for short-term vacation purposes rather than use the property as a residence; and/or
• the commercial nature of a tourist home; and/or
• the management or advertising of the dwelling unit as a tourist home or “vacation rental,” on websites such as Airbnb or VRBO; and/or
• the use of a system of reservations, deposits, confirmations, credit cards, or other forms of electronic payment.

Examples of tourist homes includes short-term vacation rentals promoted on sites like AirBnB. 

• Tourist homes are permitted in specific areas that are zoned for that type of use. 
• Owners of tourist homes may use it for vacation rentals (if they have a development permit to operate it as a tourist home), for long-term rental, or as a permanent residence. 
• Existing Tourist Homes are designated with a Code 21 assessment code. Tourist Homes pay a higher property tax rate than residential properties.
• Operators of tourist homes who wish to rent room(s) on a vacation rental website must obtain a business license, and a development permit.

• Few residential districts allow tourist homes today with only the two Silvertip residential districts.
• The Town’s Land Use Bylaw identifies zones where tourist homes may or may not be allowed to operate. 
• For more information on how specific properties are zoned, please see the property information viewer map to check land use zones. Using the map, click on a location and the property information will appear. Under the annual assessment, look at the Roll Number – Code. The two numbers and possibly a letter after the “-” will indicate the how the property is assessed. To learn more about what the numbers and letters mean, click on the “code” to see if the property is assessed as residential, a tourist home, or commercial.

If you are looking to file a complaint against a tourist home you think is not being used appropriately, contact Municipal Enforcement.

A dwelling unit is a room/home where someone intends to live. A dwelling unit is characterized as a place in which people may reside as their primary or secondary residence. Examples of a dwelling unit include a primary residence which may be a detached dwelling, apartment, duplex, etc. 

• Dwelling units are permitted in the vast majority of our community with the exception of specific areas that are zoned for other uses. 
• This type of accomodation is designed for long-term residential stays.
• Dwelling units may NOT be promoted on short-term commercial listing sites such as AirBnB, unless it has been approved and licensed as a Bed and Breakfast, in which case up to three rooms may be rented for short-term stays.
• Dwelling units are for residential living. Regardless of whether you collect money or not, if you are using your home for short-term stays, it is considered a tourist home which requires specific permits and can only be operated in limited areas. 
• The Town of Canmore investigates complaints of dwelling units being rented illegally as tourist homes. If a property is found to be operating as an illegal tourist home, a Cease Use Order may be issued. The Town can also issue fines of $2,500 for the first offence and $5,000 for subsequent offences. The act of advertising the property as a vacation rental on websites such as Airbnb or VRBO can result in enforcement action by the Town.
• You are allowed to rent a room or your home long-term for people living in the community.

If you are looking to file a complaint against a residential dwelling unit you think is not being used appropriately, contact Municipal Enforcement.