The three checks

1. Owner ID. The owner proved who they are through Stripe Identity, with a government ID and a selfie. Stripe keeps the images. We keep only the result and the date.
2. Ownership document. Our staff looked at a document showing the owner owns the cottage: a property tax bill, an MPAC property assessment notice or the land title. We record “checked” with the date and delete the file. Renters see the date, never the document.
3. Township status. One of two paths, and the listing says which:
   • The township has a short-term rental licence by-law. The owner’s licence number was confirmed with the township on the date shown. Where the township publishes licence numbers, the number is on the listing.
   • No licence by-law was found. Our Township Rules Check found no municipal short-term rental licence by-law for that township on the date shown, with the source. The owner also signed a declaration that the cottage follows local by-laws.

If we have not confirmed a township’s rule yet, no cottage in that township shows the mark.

What it does not cover

• Building safety
• The septic system
• Insurance
• Zoning
• The owner’s conduct

We do not visit or inspect cottages. The mark is a dated record of the three checks above. It is not a promise about the cottage, the stay or the owner. Ask the owner about anything not listed.

When the mark comes off

If a check expires or no longer holds, for example a licence expires, the mark comes off until it passes again.

Cottages without the mark

Search shows every listing. Cottages still going through the checks show “Checks in progress”. Booking on Dock & Loon opens only for cottages with the mark, once card payments are switched on and the township’s accommodation-tax status is on record.