Stewiacke land-use by-law for backyard suites, tiny homes and bunkies

Town of Stewiacke, in Colchester County. Population 1,557 (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.

Not allowed · Stewiacke’s term: “accessory building”

Detached accessory buildings may not be used as a dwelling, and only one single detached dwelling is allowed on a lot.

Where allowed: Not permitted: accessory buildings shall not be used as a dwelling (s. 5.1(a)(i)); not more than one single detached dwelling on a lot (s. 5.14, s. 8.1.5(b)) [1]

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. [2][3][4][5][6][7]

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 · Stewiacke’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The by-law sets no minimum dwelling floor area or width; outside the mini home zones, dwellings may not exceed a 3:1 length-to-width ratio.

Mini homes: Mini homes (CSA, length-to-width 3:1 or more) are not single detached dwellings and are permitted only in the Mini Home Park (R-5) and Mini Home (R-6) zones, plus existing listed mini homes (ss. 2, 8.7, 8.8) [1]
Minimum width: No minimum width; dwellings outside R-5 and R-6 may not exceed a 3:1 length-to-width ratio (s. 8.1.7) [1]

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. [2][5][3][8]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.

Allowed with limits · Stewiacke’s term: “mini home”

Mini homes are limited to the Mini Home Park (R-5) and Mini Home (R-6) zones; the by-law does not address recreational vehicles or travel trailers as dwellings.

Where allowed: Mini home parks in R-5 (min 5,000 m² lot, max 20 units per hectare); mini homes in R-6 (min 580 m² lot) (ss. 8.7, 8.8) [1]

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. [8][5][3][4]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

A small sleeping building with no kitchen, usually beside a cottage or house.

Not addressed · Stewiacke’s term: “accessory building”

The by-law does not address sleeping cabins; accessory buildings may not be used as a dwelling and are limited in height and size.

Maximum height: 5 m (s. 5.1(a)(iv)) [1]
Maximum size: 90 m² total ground floor area (s. 5.1(a)(viii)) [1]
Setbacks: Not in the front yard in residential zones; at least 2 m from the main structure and 1 m from a lot line (s. 5.1(a)) [1]

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. [5][6][9]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Read the July 2025 consolidated copy; an LUB amendment for event spaces in R-4 went to second reading in Sept 2026 and is not in this consolidation (not relevant to these build types).

Sources

Not legal advice

Confirm with your municipality before you buy, build or move in.

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