St. Mary's land-use by-law for backyard suites, tiny homes and bunkies
Municipality of the District of St. Mary's. Population 2,161 (2021 census).
Backyard suite
A separate home in the yard of a house: garden suite, laneway suite or coach house, including prefab, modular or container units used this way.
Allowed · St. Mary's’s term: “backyard suite”
Backyard suites are permitted with conditions in most zones, including the Low and Medium Density Residential, Agriculture and Rural Resource zones. Only one backyard suite or secondary suite is allowed per lot. [1]
- Maximum size
- 90 m² floor area (s.4.3) [2]
- Where allowed
- Rear yard only; permitted with conditions (PC) in the RL, RM, MU, GC, Ag, RR and DW zones (s.4.3, Table 7.A) [2]
- Number allowed
- One backyard suite or secondary suite per lot (s.4.3, s.4.4) [2]
- Setbacks
- Must meet the accessory building requirements of the zone (s.4.3) [2]
- Maximum height
- Accessory buildings 8 m in the RL and RR zones (Tables 8.A and 14.A) [2]
Nova Scotia-wide rule
Outside Halifax, no Nova Scotia regulation requires municipalities to allow backyard suites or a set number of units per lot. Each municipality decides this in its land-use by-law. Province-wide, the Building Code applies to the suite, and a new on-site sewage system needs provincial notification or approval. [3][4][5][6][7][8]
Tiny home on a foundation
A small house as the main home on its own lot. The key rule is any minimum dwelling size.
Allowed · St. Mary's’s term: “single-unit dwelling”
The by-law sets no minimum floor area or width for single-unit dwellings, which are permitted in the RL, RM, MU, GC, Ag, RR and DW zones. Manufactured homes are included in the definition of a dwelling.
- Minimum dwelling size
- None stated for single-unit dwellings [2]
- Mini homes
- A manufactured home is a single detached dwelling and may sit on wheels, jacks, blocks or a permanent foundation; it is included in the definition of dwelling (Chapter 19) [2]
- Minimum lot size
- RL zone: 560 m² sewer-serviced, 2,700 m² unserviced; RR zone: 2,700 m² (Tables 8.A, 14.A) [2]
Nova Scotia-wide rule
Nova Scotia sets no provincial minimum house size. Since April 1, 2025, the Building Code Regulations define a "tiny house" as a dwelling unit of 37 m² or less in building area and give it its own rules on ceiling heights and lofts. Certified factory-built homes are deemed to meet the Code. Municipal planning documents must provide for manufactured housing. [3][6][4][9]
Tiny home on wheels or park model
Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.
Allowed with limits · St. Mary's’s term: “tiny home / tiny home community”
No recreational vehicle, with or without wheels, may be used as a permanent dwelling. Certified tiny homes not on a permanent foundation are permitted in tiny home communities in the Medium Density Residential and Rural Resource zones, and manufactured homes on wheels or blocks count as dwellings.
- Where allowed
- Tiny home communities (two or more tiny homes on a lot) and manufactured home parks: RM and RR zones (Table 7.A) [2]
- Minimum lot size
- Tiny home community: 557 m² for the first two units, plus 186 m² per unit up to six and 93 m² per unit beyond six; manufactured home park: over 4,000 m² with at least 60 m frontage (s.4.25, s.4.26) [2]
- Separation from house
- Tiny homes in a community at least 3 m apart (s.4.26) [2]
- Maximum size
- By-law definition of tiny home: less than 3 m wide and less than 37 m² floor area, not on a permanent foundation, CSA-approved for four seasons or engineer-certified for year-round habitation (Chapter 19) [2]
- Approvals
- s.4.5: no automobile, truck, bus, coach or car body, or recreational vehicle, with or without wheels, shall be used as a permanent dwelling [2]
Nova Scotia-wide rule
The province's Building Code guidance says tiny homes on a permanent trailer chassis with wheels are outside the scope of the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations. Whether you may live in one full-time is decided by the municipal land-use by-law. CSA Z240 manufactured (mini) homes are covered by the Building Code, and municipal plans must provide for manufactured housing. [9][6][4][5]
Bunkie or sleeping cabin
A small sleeping building with no kitchen, usually beside a cottage or house.
Not addressed · St. Mary's’s term: “accessory building”
The by-law does not address sleeping cabins or human habitation in ordinary accessory buildings. Accessory buildings are permitted in all zones with no limit on number, subject to the zone's setbacks, height and lot coverage.
- Number allowed
- No limit on the number of accessory buildings per lot; all count toward lot coverage (s.4.1) [2]
- Maximum height
- 8 m for accessory buildings in the RL and RR zones (Tables 8.A, 14.A) [2]
- Setbacks
- RR zone accessory buildings: 10 m rear, 2 m side; RL: 1.3 m rear and side; 1 m from rear or side lines if footprint under 16 m² (s.4.1, Tables 8.A, 14.A) [2]
- Approvals
- Shipping containers used as accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation unless purpose-designed and approved under the Building Code; vehicle bodies may not be used as accessory buildings (s.4.1, s.4.2) [2]
Nova Scotia-wide rule
Unless a municipal by-law says otherwise, Nova Scotia does not require a building permit for an accessory building of 20 m² or less, but the Building Code still applies to it. Adding a washroom brings in the on-site sewage rules, unless the building connects to a municipal sewer. [6][7][10]
Official links
- Municipality of the District of St. Mary's website
- Land Use By-Law, Municipality of the District of St. Mary's (2022)
Last confirmed October 2026.
Notes and caveats
Sources
- Municipality of the District of St. Mary's web page (saint-marys.ca)
- Land Use By-Law, Municipality of the District of St. Mary's (2022)
- Minimum Planning Requirements Regulations (Government of Nova Scotia)
- Statement of Provincial Interest Regarding Housing (Government of Nova Scotia)
- HRM Minimum Planning Requirements Regulations (Government of Nova Scotia)
- Building Code Regulations (Government of Nova Scotia)
- Activities Designation Regulations (Government of Nova Scotia)
- Government of Nova Scotia news release
- Building Code Regulations, users’ version with notes (Government of Nova Scotia)
- On-site Sewage Disposal Systems Regulations (Government of Nova Scotia)
Not legal advice
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