Coun. Linda Vandendriessche’s frustration was clear.
“Why are we so afraid of making a change?” Vandendriessche said as her Norfolk council colleagues debated a municipal accommodation tax (MAT) and a new development corporation for the rural county.
“We have to move on and get into the future,” the Langton-area councillor said. “We’re hanging onto the past.”
The MAT is a four per cent surcharge on the room rate at hotels, Airbnbs and cottages.
Consultants estimate the “tourist tax” would bring in about $700,000 in additional revenue for Norfolk in its first year. According to provincial legislation, that money must be spent on tourism marketing and tourism-related infrastructure.
Critics worry adding a user fee to room rentals would deter tourists or limit their spending at other businesses, but more than 80 Ontario municipalities — including tourist magnets like Prince Edward County and Stratford — charge the MAT and have not seen a drop-off in visitors.
After approving the idea in principle in February, council then decided — in a close vote — to hit the brakes on the MAT until a bylaw governing short-term rental properties was in place.
A draft of that bylaw came to council on March 10, with economic development director John Regan telling councillors the text was deliberately broad since the county wanted to hear from the public on what should be included.
But that was not enough for councillors Chris Van Paassen and Tom Masschaele, who again wanted to carve out MAT approval pending a finalized bylaw to regulate the hundreds of cottages and homes listed on platforms like Vrbo and Airbnb.
“I think we should have much more detail about how this is going to work,” Masschaele said, urging staff to consult with cottage and rental homeowners so the next draft of the bylaw is “comprehensive.”
Van Paassen said the bylaw is missing specifics on zoning and occupancy limits while sidestepping the staffing cost to oversee the licensing program.
Tourist traffic to Norfolk in 2025 was up 14 per cent compared to 2024, with the tourism sector supporting nearly 1,800 jobs and hundreds of related businesses, Regan noted.
“(The MAT) is not an additional property tax,” he said. “This is about whether Norfolk has the tools to compete in the visitor economy without putting more of a burden on our residents.”
Al Meneses, Norfolk’s chief administrative officer, said waiting until the short-term rental bylaw is in place before taking action on the MAT could delay the latter program for years.
“The longer we wait is just missed opportunity. And if that’s council’s desire, that’s council’s desire,” Meneses said.
Council finally decided to proceed with public consultation on the MAT and the short-term rental bylaw, with Coun. Mike Columbus changing his vote from the previous meeting to side with Vandendriessche, Coun. Adam Veri and Coun. Alan Duthie.
Van Paassen, Masschaele and Coun. Doug Brunton voted against advancing the MAT. Mayor Amy Martin and Coun. Kim Huffman were absent.
Still at issue is who would be in charge of spending MAT-generated revenue.
Martin has advocated for Norfolk to create a municipal development corporation focused on tourism marketing. The corporation would have the mayor, a councillor, the CAO and three tourism industry representatives as voting members.
Helene Larochelle, who owns a bed and breakfast in Port Dover and supports the MAT, told council she and other tourism operators think an independent organization led by marketing experts is best suited for the job, with minimal or no involvement from the county.
Norfolk County accommodations by the numbers
Hotel and motel rooms 288
Average annual occupancy rate 59 per cent
Average daily room rate $129.78
Annual guest revenue $8 million
Short-term rental units (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc) monthly average 226 (high of 335 in August, low of 122 in February)
Average annual occupancy rate 47 per cent
Average daily room rate $219.58
Annual guest revenue $9.6 million
Projected annual gross revenue from municipal accommodation tax $704,000
Actual inventory of short-term rentals in Norfolk is likely higher, as some properties are unlisted
By J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Mar 17, 2026 at 07:08
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