This consolidation is unofficial and is for reference only. For the official version of the regulations, consult the original documents on file with the Registry of Regulations, or refer to the Royal Gazette Part II. Regulations are amended frequently. Please check the list of Regulations by Act to see if there are any recent amendments to these regulations filed with the Registry that are not yet included in this consolidation. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this electronic version, the Registry of Regulations assumes no responsibility for any discrepancies that may have resulted from reformatting. This electronic version is for your personal use and may not be copied for the purposes of resale in this or any other form.
Tourist Accommodations Regulations
made under Section 18 of the
Tourist Accommodations Act
S.N.S. 1994-95, c. 9
O.I.C. 2003-461 (November 6, 2003), N.S. Reg. 185/2003
as amended by O.I.C. 2007-160 (March 26, 2007, effective January 1, 2008), N.S. Reg. 164/2007
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference only and does not form part of the regulations.
Table of Contents
Notifying guests of reservation cancellation policy
Display of accommodation’s information
Identifier for each rental unit or campsite
Employee available for contact
Maintenance of grounds and buildings
Maintenance of furnishings, equipment and appliances
Routine cleaning of rental units and campsites
Manager to ensure inspection of rental units and campsites
Cleaning solutions locked away
No personal belongings in rental unit or campsite
No carpets in kitchens or bathrooms
Plan for a roofed accommodation
Plan for camping establishment
Construction requirements of rental unit
Privacy partitions in bathrooms
Minimum distance between rental units
Bathrooms assigned to rental units
Identifier for each bathroom or washroom
Lighting and emergency lighting
Minimum number of washroom facilities
Washroom facility construction requirements
Washroom facility equipment requirements
Special Event Camping Area Licences
Application for special event camping area licence
Inspection of area by accommodations officer
Revocation of special event camping area licence
1 These regulations may be cited as the Tourist Accommodations Regulations.
2 In these regulations
(a) “accommodation” means a roofed accommodation or a camping establishment;
(b) “accommodation officer” means a person appointed by the Minister pursuant to subsection 9(1) of the Act to inspect accommodations for compliance with the Act and these regulations;
(c) “Act” means the Tourist Accommodations Act;
(d) “bathroom” means a fully partitioned room in a roofed accommodation that has at least
(i) 1 toilet,
(ii) 1 sink, unless there is a sink in the bedroom, and
(iii) 1 bathtub or shower;
(e) “camping cabin” means a cabin that is used as an alternative form of accommodation in a camping establishment and that complies with the minimum requirements of Sections 63 to 65;
(f) “camping unit” means 1 tent, 1 trailer, 1 recreational vehicle or 1 camping cabin at a camping establishment;
(g) “campsite” means a part of a camping establishment designed for the exclusive use of guests in a camping unit;
(h) “Department” means the department responsible for the administration of the Tourist Accommodations Act;
(i) “fully serviced”, in relation to a campsite, means that the campsite is equipped with electricity, water and sewer;
(j) “guest” means a member of the travelling or vacationing public who is staying in an accommodation;
(k) “licence” means a licence issued pursuant to the Act;
(l) “manager” includes an owner, lessee, operator, or person in charge of an accommodation;
(m) “partially-serviced”, in relation to a campsite, means that the campsite is equipped with electricity and water;
(n) “rental unit” means a part of a roofed accommodation designed for the exclusive use of guests assigned to it;
(o) “shared bathroom” means a bathroom in a roofed accommodation that is designed in accordance with Section 32 to be used by guests in more than 1 rental unit;
(p) “unserviced” in relation to a campsite, means that the campsite is not equipped with electricity, water or sewer.
3 No person is permitted to operate an accommodation unless the manager complies with the laws of Nova Scotia.
4 (1) An accommodation officer may be assisted during an inspection by any qualified person the officer considers necessary.
(2) At the request of an accommodation officer, a manager must produce the register, licence, and records or other information required to be kept under the Act or these regulations.
5 (1) An applicant for a licence or renewal of a licence must submit an application to the Minister together with the applicable fee prescribed in Schedule “A”.
(2) A purchaser or other person who acquires legal ownership of an accommodation must apply for a new licence to operate the accommodation.
6 A manager must maintain the registration system required by Section 7 of the Act in a form approved by the Minister, and it must include
(a) the name of the guest;
(b) the usual place of residence of the guest, including mailing address;
(c)the vehicle licence plate number of the guest’s vehicle, if applicable;
(d)the number of people in the guest’s party;
(e)the arrival and departure date of the guest;
(f) the rate charged for the rental unit or campsite; and
(g) the rental unit or campsite occupied by the guest.
7 Despite Section 6, when registering a tour group, a manager must enter into the register only
(a) the name of each guest;
(b) the rental unit or campsite occupied by the guests; and
(c) the name and address of the tour agent.
8 A manager must provide an occupancy report to the Department in a form prescribed by the Minister within 7 days of the end of each calendar month during which the accommodation is operated.
Notifying guests of reservation cancellation policy
9 (1) A manager of an accommodation must have a cancellation policy.
(2) A manager must ensure that a guest is notified of the reservation cancellation policy at the time the guest’s reservation is taken.
Display of accommodation’s information
10 (1) A manager must have a sign bearing the registered business name of the accommodation placed at or near the main entrance.
(2) A manager must display the accommodation’s licence in a conspicuous place in the accommodation.
Identifier for each rental unit or campsite
11 A manager must ensure that a number, name or other identification is placed on or near the outside of the main entry door of each rental unit or at each campsite.
12 (1) A manager must have an emergency evacuation plan in place that instructs guests on the procedures to follow in an emergency.
(2) A manager of an accommodation must display the emergency evacuation plan in a conspicuous place in each rental unit.
13 (1) A manager must provide a water supply sufficient in quantity to meet the requirements of the maximum number of persons that can be accommodated.
(2) A manager must provide a water supply that meets the Provincial regulations for safe drinking water.
(3) In addition to complying with any other applicable requirements under the laws of Canada, Nova Scotia or the authority having jurisdiction, a manager must ensure that the accommodation’s water supply is analyzed prior to the initial opening of the accommodation to the public and at least once a year thereafter, and the results of the analyses must be provided to an accommodation officer for determining compliance with this Section.
Employee available for contact
14 (1) A manager must have at least 1 employee available to guests at all times during the operation of the accommodation.
(2) If an employee is not physically present, a manager must supply guests with a telephone number and the name of an employee who is available to contact.
15 (1) If there is telephone service at the accommodation, a manager must ensure that there is
(a) at least 1 public telephone accessible 24 hours per day with posted emergency numbers; or
(b) a telephone installed and emergency numbers posted in each rental unit.
(2) If there is no telephone service at the accommodation, a manager must have an emergency plan in place to ensure the safety and security of guests.
16 A manager must
(a) provide on-site parking with 24-hour access for at least 1 guest vehicle per rental unit or campsite; or
(b) make adequate off-site parking spaces with 24-hour access available for guests.
Maintenance of grounds and buildings
17 A manager must keep the grounds and buildings of the accommodation in a safe, clean and well-maintained condition.
Maintenance of furnishings, equipment and appliances
18 (1) A manager must keep the accommodation’s furnishings, equipment, and appliances repaired and in a clean and sanitary condition, and free from rodents, vermin or other pests.
(2) If any part of the accommodation becomes infested with rodents, vermin or other pests, the manager must not allow that part of the accommodation to be used until the infestation is eliminated.
19 If food is served at an accommodation, a manager must keep the food area safe, sanitary and in a well-maintained condition.
Routine cleaning of rental units and campsites
20 A manager must ensure that each rental unit or campsite is
(a) cleaned and all fixtures are treated with a disinfectant solution before a guest occupies it; and
(b) cleaned at least once every 24 hours while a guest occupies it, except for rental units that are rented other than on an overnight basis and daily room cleaning is not provided.
Manager to ensure inspection of rental units and campsites
21 A manager must ensure that a rental unit or campsite is inspected to ensure that it is clean and properly equipped before being occupied by a guest.
Cleaning solutions locked away
22 A manager must ensure that all cleaning solutions, toxic substances, or materials or substances that might be hazardous to guests are securely locked in a cabinet or cupboard.
No personal belongings in rental unit or campsite
23 A manager must ensure that each rental unit or campsite does not contain any personal belongings of the manager or staff, or their families.
No carpets in kitchens or bathrooms
24 A manager must ensure that the kitchen and bathroom flooring in a rental unit does not consist of carpeting.
25 (1) A manager must ensure that a laundry room is mechanically ventilated or has screened doors or windows.
(2) A manager must ensure that no laundry equipment is stored in a shared bathroom or washroom used by guests.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to accommodations with laundry equipment stored in a shared bathroom or washroom at the time these regulations come into force.
26 (1) A manager of a roofed accommodation must
(a) have all refuse or garbage containers in a rental unit emptied and cleaned daily, except for in a rental unit that is rented other than on an overnight basis and daily room cleaning is not provided; and
(b) store all refuse and garbage in containers and have a satisfactory garbage collection system.
(2) A manager of a camping establishment must store all refuse and garbage in containers and have a satisfactory garbage collection system.
27 (1) Before constructing, altering, renovating, or reconstructing an accommodation, a manager must submit the construction plans and specifications for the work to be performed to the Minister for approval.
(2) A manager must submit any modification to a construction plan approved under subsection (1) for approval in the same manner as the original construction plan.
Plan for a roofed accommodation
28 A construction plan submitted by a manager of a roofed accommodation must be drawn to a scale of not less than 2.5 cm to 4.9 m and show
(a) the boundaries;
(b) the location of any
(i) buildings,
(ii) driveways,
(ii) landscaping,
(iv) water or wooded areas,
(v) wells and sewage disposal systems;
(c) the size of rental units, bathrooms and windows; and
(d) the furniture layout for each rental unit.
Plan for camping establishment
29 (1) A construction plan submitted by a manager of a camping establishment must be drawn to a scale of not less than 2.5 cm to 15.2 m and show
(a) the location of the camping establishment in relation to the nearest controlled access highway;
(b) the location of any roads near the site;
(c) the location and size of the individual campsites, numbered for identification;
(d) the location of the water system and outlets; and
(e) the location and type of the sewage system.
(2) A plan for a camping establishment must include a separate plan of the service buildings, including washroom facilities, drawn to a scale of not less than 2.5 cm to 15.2 m.
Construction requirements of rental unit
30 A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that each rental unit
(a) is fully enclosed with walls reaching from the floor to the ceiling;
(b)has a hinged entry door or patio doors;
(c) has at least
(i) 1 door lock and an additional security locking device that enables the door to be locked from the outside and inside on each entry door, including a patio door, or
(ii) for roofed accommodations existing at the time these regulations come into force, a locking device to ensure privacy;
(d) has each bedroom door equipped with a locking device that enables the door to be locked from the inside to ensure privacy;
(e) if there are doorways connecting rental units, has 1 hinged door, with a door lock that enables the door to be locked from the inside, on each side of the door jamb;
(f) has a window or windows with a minimum glass area of 10% of the floor area;
(g) has
(i) a screened window or screened door that opens to the outside or a ventilating device opening to the outside, that is capable of providing a minimum ventilation area of 5% of the floor area, or
(ii) a mechanical device to ensure ventilation equivalent to that specified in subclause (i);
(h) has a light switch immediately inside the entry door and a light switch accessible from the bed;
(i) is equipped so that it can sustain a temperature of 21º C (70º F) when it is occupied.
31 A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a bathroom
(a) does not obstruct the entrance or exit of any rental unit;
(b) does not require a guest of a rental unit to pass through a common living area or kitchen to get to the bathroom;
(c) has doors that are tightly fitted and have a locking device that enables the door to be locked from inside the bathroom to ensure privacy;
(d) has hot and cold running water taps for each sink, bathtub and shower;
(e) has a window with a minimum glass area of 0.4 m² opening to the outside with a ventilation area of not less than 0.2 m², or a mechanical device to ensure the equivalent ventilation; and
(f) has a ground fault interrupter outlet.
32 (1) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a shared bathroom
(a) is situated on the same floor as the rental units of the guests who are assigned to it;
(b) contains at least
(i) 1 flush toilet,
(ii) 1 bathtub or shower, and
(iii) unless there is a sink in each guest bedroom, 1 sink,
for every 6 people who are to use it, including the manager and their family members.
(2) If a shared bathroom has entry doors from more than one rental unit, a manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that the entry doors have a tightly-fitted, solid-core opening from each rental unit to the bathroom, and each door has a locking device that enables the door to be locked from inside the bathroom to ensure privacy.
Privacy partitions in bathrooms
33 If a roofed accommodation has a bathroom that has more than 1 toilet, bathtub or shower, a manager must ensure that there are privacy partitions between toilets, bathtubs and showers.
34 If a manager resides at a roofed accommodation, the manager’s unit must comply with Section 30 and the bathroom in the unit must comply with Section 31 or, if the manager uses a shared bathroom, Section 32.
35 A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a washroom accessible to the public has
(a) at least 1 flush toilet;
(b) privacy partitions between toilets with stall doors that each have a locking device that enables the door to be locked from inside the stall;
(c) at least 1 sink
(d) hot and cold running water taps for each sink;
(e) single service towel dispensers or hot air dryers;
(f) a ground fault interrupter outlet, if an outlet is provided;
(g) a window with a minimum glass area of 0.4 m² opening to the outside with a ventilation area of not less than 0.2 m², or a mechanical ventilating device that ensures the equivalent ventilation.
36 (1) For a roofed accommodation constructed after these regulations come into force, a manager must ensure that all rooms within a rental unit have a minimum ceiling height of 2.4 m, except for a sloping ceiling, which must have a minimum height of 2.1 m at its lowest point.
(2) For a roofed accommodation existing at the time these regulations come into force, a manager must ensure that all rooms within a rental unit have a minimum ceiling height of 2.3 m, except for a sloping ceiling, which must have a minimum height of 1.5 m at its lowest point.
(3) If a sloping ceiling in a roofed accommodation referred to in subsection (2) is less than 1.5 m high, the measurement for minimum areas is taken from the point where the sloping ceiling is at least 1.5 m in height.
Minimum distance between rental units
37 A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that there is a minimum distance of 5.5 m between separate buildings containing rental units, measured from the furthest exterior protrusion from one building to the closest exterior protrusion on the next building.
38 (1) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that the minimum area of a rental unit, exclusive of bathroom, closet, kitchen and living room areas, is as set out in the following table:
Bed(s) in Rental Unit
Minimum Area
1 single (99 cm) bed
7.4 m²
1 double (137 cm) bed or 1 set of single (99 cm) bunk beds
9.3 m²
1 queen (152 cm) bed or 2 single (99 cm) beds
11.1 m²
1 king (198 cm) bed
12.5 m²
2 double (137 cm) beds
14.9 m²
(2) For each additional bed in a rental unit, a manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a minimum of 2.8 m² is added to the minimum areas required by subsection (1).
39 A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a living room in a roofed accommodation has a minimum area of 9.3 m².
40 (1) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a bathroom with a sink, toilet, bathtub and shower has a minimum area of 3.3 m².
(2) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a bathroom with a sink, toilet and shower has a minimum area of 3.0 m².
41 (1) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that each bed in a roofed accommodation, other than a single (99 cm) bed, has at least 61 cm clearance on at least 3 sides.
(2) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that a single (99 cm) bed in a rental unit has the clearance specified in subsection (1) on at least 2 sides.
42 A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that bunk beds in a rental unit have
(a) a secured safety ladder that reaches from the floor to the top bunk; and
(b) at least 0.9 m clearance between the top bunk and the ceiling and the top bunk and the bottom bunk.
43 (1) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that each rental unit is equipped with
(a) a shaded light that can be turned on or off from the bed;
(b) 1 bed, consisting of a box spring and mattress or similar, and a headboard, together with
(i) pillows with pillow protectors and cases,
(ii) a mattress pad,
(iii) an under sheet,
(iv) a top sheet,
(v) 1 blanket or other adequate covering,
(vi) a bedspread,
(vii) 1 extra blanket, and
(viii) 1 extra pillow;
(c) a bedside table, or equivalent, at each bed;
(d) a table or desk and a clothes dresser, or a combination dresser desk;
(e) a chair;
(f) a non-slip scatter rug on each side of a bed, if the floors are not carpeted;
(g) a closet or device suitable for hanging clothes, with a minimum of 8 coat hangers;
(h) a covering for each window, capable of giving privacy to guests;
(i) a wastebasket;
(j) a receptacle to be used as an ashtray, even in a non-smoking rental unit;
(k) a drinking utensil for each guest;
(l) a radio and alarm clock or a clock radio; and
(m) a luggage rack or bench.
(2) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that each bathroom is equipped with
(a) a mirror with a good reflecting surface area of not less than 30.5 cm by 45.7 cm;
(b) a lighting fixture equipped with a minimum 100-watt bulb, or equivalent, located near the mirror;
(c) a shelf or equivalent flat surface, with an area of not less than 0.04 m², installed near the sink;
(d) a device for holding towels;
(e) a clothes hook;
(f) a soap dish or recess located near the sink, and in the tub or shower;
(g) a shower door or shower curtain, if there is a shower;
(h) a wastebasket;
(i) at least 1 hand towel, 1 bath towel and 1 face cloth for each guest;
(j) a bath mat;
(k) a roll of toilet tissue on a dispensing device, plus an extra roll;
(l) individual packages of soap or an adequate supply of liquid soap in a dispenser at the sink and in the bath area, for every new guest and as required.
(3) A manager of a roofed accommodation must ensure that each washroom accessible to the public is equipped with
(a) a coat hook on each stall door;
(b) a roll of toilet tissue on a dispensing device, plus an extra roll;
(c) single service towels, if a single service towel dispenser is provided;
(d) liquid soap in a dispenser;
(e) a wastebasket with a lid; and
(f) a mirror with a good reflecting surface area of not less than 30.5 cm by 45.7 cm.
44 (1) A manager of a roofed accommodation must supply clean bed linen
(a) for every new guest; and
(b) at least twice a week for guests who are visiting for periods of