Private home accommodations (PHAs)

What is a Private Home Accommodation?

A private home accommodation (PHA) is a home-based business that provides commercial visitor accommodation on a per night basis.

Please note that operating a home-based business does not qualify you as an eligible resident (see the eligible residency webpage).

What are the requirements to operate a Private Home Accommodation?

A PHA must conform to the home-based business requirements in addition to:

• Be located in a residential district that states a Private Home Accommodation as a Discretionary Use (R1, R2, R2H, CCWa, and CCWb Districts). You can find your zoning district by locating your property on the Town of Jasper land use map and clicking on the Info tab for the District
• Be operated by the lessee who must reside in the dwelling as their primary residence (the lessee cannot be a corporate entity)
• Have a Private Home Accommodation Area that does not exceed 45% of the dwelling’s gross floor area
• Not contain a kitchen, unless it is located in a Secondary Suite (Parks Canada Secondary Suite Development and Building Permits required)
• Not located in a Garage Suite or Garden Suite
• Provide one on-site parking stall (2.7m by 6.0m) for each bedroom of Private Home Accommodation in addition to the site’s required on-site parking
• For homes without rear lane access, the private home accommodation required on-site parking may be in the front setback and allowed to be in tandem with the home’s other required on-site parking
• Obtain a Building Code Inspection, from a Parks Canada Approved Building Code Agency, indicating the PHA bedroom(s) meet today’s building code (smoke alarms hardwired to the other homes smoke alarms; carbon monoxide detector; egress to exterior; and window egress requirements)
• Obtain a certificate of insurance (with a minimum of $2 million per incident) that provides coverage for your private home accommodation business. The liability insurance must include “His Majesty in Right of Canada as Represented by Parks Canada Agency” as an additional insured
• Obtain a business licence, and PHA signage, from the Municipality of Jasper to operate.

What is the permitting process for a Private Home Accommodation?

The Private Home Accommodation permitting process includes:

1. Private Home Accommodation Discretionary Use Permit Application Package submission (see below for the required contents of the submission package) to jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca for review.
2. If the application is recommended and supported by the Superintendent, a conceptual approval letter will be issued that you must forward to an Approved Building Code Agency (PDF, 244 KB) for a PHA Building Code Inspection.
3. If there is construction required to meet the Parks Canada PHA requirements (on-site parking stall addition or interior /exterior renovations) a separate Parks Canada Development / Building Permit process will be required.
4. Upon submitting the PHA Building Code Inspection (with no deficiencies) and the certificate of insurance to Parks Canada, and completion of any required construction through the Parks Canada Development / Building Permits, a Parks Canada Private Home Accommodation Discretionary Use Permit will be issued.

What do I need to submit for a Discretionary Use Permit for a Private Home Accommodation?

A Private Home Accommodation Discretionary Use Application Submission Package consists of:

1. Parks Canada Discretionary Use Application

   There is no fee for a discretionary use permit application. To apply for a permit, please sign and submit the Parks Canada Discretionary Use Permit Application (PDF, 170 KB) which will provide the development office with the address, who the lessee is, who the applicant is, and basic contact information for the permit.

2. PHA Submission Questionnaire

   The Private Home Accommodation Questionnaire (PDF, 137 KB) asks specific questions that will help establish if your proposed Private Home Accommodation meets the requirements and if so, will become a portion of the Private Home Accommodation Discretionary Use Permit.

3. PHA Submission Checklist

   Use the Private Home Accommodation Checklist (PDF, 180 KB) to ensure you are submitting everything that is required for a complete discretionary use permit submission package and submit it as part of your submission package.

4. Written Narrative

   Paragraph describing your proposed Private Home Accommodation and if there is any construction you are proposing to undertake. Photos of the Private Home Accommodation Area and required on-site parking area as well as any other relevant photos for your proposal are encouraged. This will give the development office both a plain language explanation as well as a visual illustration of your project.

5. Statutory Declaration Eligible Residency

   A Home Based Business does not grant eligible residency; therefore, you are required to submit a Statutory Declaration (see the eligible residency webpage) as part of the submission.

6. PHA Attestation Form (required if PHA Area is not in a Secondary Suite)

   A PHA Area often contains its own bedroom, bathroom, exterior entrance, and wet bar for the specific use of a nightly visitor commercial accommodation. A Secondary Suite contains the same amenities, but the use is specific for monthly residential rentals for eligible residents. Although these areas may look similar, a PHA Area that is not a Secondary Suite (must have Parks Canada Development and Building Permits for the Secondary Suite development) is not safe, as per building code, to use as a monthly residential rental. One defining difference in the uses is the probability of “cooking” of food is far higher in a monthly residential rental which dramatically increases the risk of fire. It is required that a signed PHA Attestation Form (PDF, 130 KB) from the lessee acknowledging their understanding of these differences and consequences of using the PHA Area in an unsafe manner.

7. Floor Plan

   A dimensioned (in metres) and scaled floor plan of the dwelling including Private Home Accommodation Area is required. This must also include the gross floor area of the dwelling (m²) and the Private Home Accommodation Area (m²). The Private Home Accommodation Area must not be more than 45% of the gross floor area of the dwelling it is located within.

8. Site Plan

   A Private Home Accommodation requires one additional on-site parking stall per each bedroom of private home accommodation in addition to the site’s required on-site parking. A dimensioned (in metres) and scaled site plan is required and must demonstrate and label each on-site PHA parking stall (2.7m by 6.0m for each stall).

Does a Private Home Accommodation Discretionary Use Permit include any construction in my home or development or the addition of on-site parking?

Any physical construction either inside the home, or for additional on-site parking stalls, will require a separate Development Permit Application Submission. Construction within the home would require a separate Development Permit for Interior Renovation. If you wish to construct a Secondary Suite for your PHA Area you will require a separate Development Permit for a Secondary Suite. Additional on-site parking stall development will require a separate Development Permit for Landscaping (including Sidewalks and Parking).

Once I have my Discretionary Use Permit what other requirements are needed to operate my Private Home Accommodation?

Once your Parks Canada Discretionary Use Permit has been obtained from Parks Canada, please follow the Municipality of Jasper guidance on the Doing Business in Jasper website in order to Apply for a Municipality of Jasper Business Licence.

The above required submissions, or any questions regarding the above, may be submitted to the Jasper Development Office at: jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca.