Maple is one of five historic communities that make up the City of Vaughan, located in the central-north area and home to Vaughan Mills, MacKenzie Health hospital, McNaughton Road and Rutherford Road housing corridors, and parts of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. If you own in Maple, you host under Vaughan's STR rules, not a separate Maple bylaw.
Vaughan By-Law 158-2019 (most recently amended by By-law 029-2025 in February 2025) governs every Maple STR. Principal residence required, no annual night cap, 4% Municipal Accommodation Tax, individual persons only, annual renewal with Vulnerable Sector Check.
Maple Is Part of Vaughan
Maple is a community within the City of Vaughan alongside Woodbridge, Kleinburg, Thornhill (west of Yonge), and Concord. Every Vaughan STR policy applies. Your STR license goes to the City of Vaughan at Vaughan City Hall, the 4% MAT is remitted to Vaughan, and Vaughan bylaw officers enforce the rules in Maple.
Key Rules at a Glance
Maple STR Snapshot (Vaughan By-Law 158-2019)
License required 路 Principal residence only 路 No annual night limit 路 4% MAT 路 Individual persons only (no corporations) 路 Vulnerable Sector Check required 路 Annual renewal 路 STR = under 29 consecutive days
Principal Residence Rule
Your Maple property must be your ordinary place of residence to qualify:
"Principal Residence means a dwelling unit owned or rented by an Individual Person, either alone or jointly with others, where the Individual Person is ordinarily resident." Vaughan By-Law 158-2019, Section 3.0(4)(aa)
Investment properties, second homes, and corporate-held rentals do not qualify. If you bought a Maple condo purely to Airbnb, mid-term rentals (30+ days) are the legal alternative.
No Annual Night Limit
Vaughan has no cap on annual nights rented. You can rent your Maple principal residence 365 days a year if demand supports it. This is the structural advantage Maple has over equivalent properties in Toronto or Mississauga.
License Requirements
- Individual applicant (no corporations or LLCs)
- Canadian permanent resident age 18+
- Vulnerable Sector Check from York Regional Police, dated within 90 days
- Proof of ownership or tenancy
- Proof of principal residence (utility bills, tax returns, driver's licence)
- MAT registration before STR application
- Condo letter if in a multi-unit building confirming STRs are permitted
- Non-refundable application fee (set in Fees and Charges By-law 171-2013)
Why Maple Works for Hosting
Vaughan Mills Tourism
Vaughan Mills draws 18+ million annual visitors for shopping, dining, Legoland Discovery Centre, and the Shops retail experience. International shopping tourism (particularly from Asia, Middle East, and South America) books multi-night stays specifically for Vaughan Mills access. Maple properties within a 10-minute drive see consistent weekend bookings year-round.
Canada's Wonderland
Wonderland draws 3.6+ million annual visitors May through October plus Halloween Haunt and WinterFest. Out-of-town families book 2-4 night stays. A Maple 3+ bedroom detached is ideal for family groups avoiding downtown traffic.
MacKenzie Health Hospital
MacKenzie Vaughan Hospital and the larger MacKenzie Health network bring travel nurses, locum physicians, visiting specialists, and patient-family stays. Strong year-round mid-term rental demand on 13-week to 6-month contracts.
VMC Subway Access
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is the northern terminus of TTC Line 1. Guests can reach Union Station in 45 minutes on one train. This draws downtown-bound business travelers, convention overflow from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, and families visiting both downtown and Wonderland on the same trip.
Corporate Anchors
KPMG, PwC, GFL Environmental, Allstate, and multiple automotive and logistics HQs sit in Maple or within 10 minutes. Business-travel demand for mid-week stays is substantial.
Mid-Term Rental Strategy (Investment Properties)
If your Maple property is not your principal residence, mid-term rentals of 30+ consecutive days are exempt from Vaughan's STR bylaw:
Maple Mid-Term Demand Sources
- MacKenzie Health travel nurses and locums: 13-week to 6-month contracts
- KPMG and PwC project teams: consulting engagements of 2-6 months
- Highway 400/407 logistics corridor: GFL, DHL, Canadian Tire, and other major employers
- Corporate relocations: families moving to Vaughan from other provinces or abroad
- Wonderland seasonal staff: May through October peak employment
- Construction crews: ongoing VMC and northern Vaughan development
- International students: Seneca College Newnham campus is a short drive
Typical Maple mid-term rates: 3-bedroom detached $4,000-$5,500/month furnished. 1-2 bedroom condo at VMC $2,800-$3,800/month. One turnover per month versus 10-15 STR turnovers.
Compliance Checklist
- Confirm property is your principal residence
- Get Vulnerable Sector Check from York Regional Police
- Register for Vaughan MAT
- Apply for STR license at vaughan.ca
- Post license in a conspicuous place near main entrance
- No overlapping bookings (one reservation at a time)
- Use only licensed platforms (Airbnb and VRBO both licensed)
- Track nights rented, nightly rates, and MAT for 3 years
- Renew annually before anniversary date to avoid penalties
Official Resources
Official Links
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Maple have its own Airbnb rules?
No. Maple is a community within the City of Vaughan, not a separate municipality. Every Vaughan STR rule applies in Maple, Woodbridge, Kleinburg, Thornhill (west of Yonge), and Concord. Same By-Law 158-2019, same license, same 4% MAT.
Can I Airbnb my Maple investment condo at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre?
No, not as an STR. Vaughan requires STRs to be in your principal residence. An investment condo at VMC does not qualify even though many of these buildings are in Maple. The workaround is mid-term rental (30+ consecutive days), which is exempt from Vaughan's STR bylaw. VMC has exceptional mid-term demand from KPMG, PwC, Allstate, and other tower anchors.
Is there a night limit for Maple Airbnbs?
No annual night limit. Vaughan is the only GTA city without an annual cap. You can rent your Maple principal residence 365 days a year. This is a genuine advantage over Toronto (180 nights) and Mississauga (180 days).
Is Maple a good Airbnb market?
For the right property, yes. Maple has Vaughan Mills (one of Canada's largest outlet malls, 18+ million annual visitors), Canada's Wonderland (3.6+ million annual visitors), MacKenzie Health hospital, and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway terminus. The demand mix spans family leisure, corporate weekday, healthcare mid-term, and convention overflow from downtown Toronto.
Can I host overlapping guests in a Maple home?
No. Vaughan By-Law 158-2019 prohibits overlapping reservations. You cannot rent the basement suite to one family while the upstairs is another Airbnb booking. One reservation at a time, per property.
What makes Maple different from Woodbridge or Kleinburg for Airbnb?
Maple has higher-volume lower-ADR tourism demand than Kleinburg (which is small and upscale) and more corporate/subway traffic than Woodbridge (which is wedding-heavy). Think of it as the high-velocity Vaughan community: Vaughan Mills shoppers, Wonderland families, MacKenzie Health visitors, and VMC business travelers drive consistent year-round bookings.
Can a corporation hold a Maple STR license?
No. Vaughan By-Law 158-2019 restricts STR licenses to individual persons only. Corporations, LLCs, holding companies, and partnerships cannot hold a Vaughan STR license. The license must be in an individual's name, and that individual must actually live at the property.
Do I need a background check for a Maple STR?
Yes. A Vulnerable Sector Check from an Ontario police service is required, dated within 90 days of your application. Most Maple hosts go through York Regional Police. These take 2-4 weeks.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Bylaw and regulation details change frequently. Always verify current rules directly with the City of Vaughan before making hosting decisions.
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