BARRIE, Ont. — Airbnb began applying a four per cent additional charge to their short-term home rentals in Barrie on June 1, due to an agreement with the city giving it permission to collect a Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) from customers. The tax applies to all rentals in Barrie listed on the company’s website with bookings for less than 30 nights and will be remitted to the City of Barrie, according to Simcoe County News.
Mayor Jeff Lehman notes the MAT is expected to provide a stable revenue source to help grow the city’s tourism sector through the expansion of its destination marketing and promotion activities.
The tax on Airbnb stays, which was placed on hotel, motel and inn stays in January, is estimated to generate around $120,000 a year in revenue and will be used to refurbish or purchase items such as benches at the city’s waterfront and for marketing initiatives through Tourism Barrie.
“This is an important milestone for Airbnb in Barrie,” says Alexandra Dagg, public policy manager at Airbnb. “At a time when communities are working hard to stretch every dollar, we can be valuable partners in strengthening local economies that are embracing home sharing.”
